


Do The Monster Mash

by doctor_halfblood



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, percy jackson - Fandom
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-07-22 11:59:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 127,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7437817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctor_halfblood/pseuds/doctor_halfblood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cliché Percy Jackson and Harry Potter crossover. The seven and Nico go to Hogwarts to protect Harry, and try to escape their memories of war. Although it's hard with Voldemort rising again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. So Wizards are Real

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and or Harry Potter.

A/N I wouldn't mind feedback on this, good, bad, or neutral. Thanks for reading xx

Third Person

Percy Jackson could be seen lying down on a towel next to his girlfriend, Annabeth. It had been 18 days since the 'Chosen 7 of the Prophecy', had defeated their biggest threat, Gaea. 18 days since the Athena Parthenos had been delivered by the bravest people; Nico di Angelo, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano and Coach Hedge. It has been 13 days since Leo Valdez swooped into camp riding his dragon. However, a new passenger was with him. Someone no one but Percy had recognised. Her name was Calypso, and she was a goddess trapped on an island called Ogygia. It had been 4 days since Percy was able to forgive Calypso for the curse she gave him. But now, said hero was relaxing and enjoying the sun, the sound of the ocean, and his goddess next to him. That is until his best friend Grover appeared. 

"Hey Percy!" The satyr stuttered. Percy thought nothing of it but his friend simply being shy. 

"What's up G-man!" Percy threw up his arms and sat up to give a lopsided grin. 

"Hey Grover!" Annabeth waved, sitting up with her head on Percy's chest. 

"Can we go for a walk?" The trio then proceed to walk away from the beach, around the cabins.

"Anything specific you want to talk about?" Annabeth started, already knowing her friends antics.

"Well.. you see.. Chiron wants to meet you guys along with the other seven in the Big House.." Grover trailed off, sneaking a glance at Percy. He was shocked by what the satyr said, the water in the lake rose up then dropped just as quickly.

"Sorry.." Percy muttered to the irritated naiads.

"I'm guessing it's for a quest?" Annabeth held her eyebrow up to see if he'd confirm her suspicions.

"Yeah." Grover sighed and looked at his two best friends with pity in his eyes. "I know it hasn't been long, but this sounds very important."

Percy just waved his hand. "Well let's go see what it is, then I'll determine if I want to participate."

Once the trio arrived at the Big House, Grover left to go check on his girlfriend Juniper. Percy and Annabeth walked in, hands clasped together, and took a seat next to Piper. After all the rest of the seven arrived, Chiron clopped nervously at the ping-pong table everyone sat around. 

"You guys are probably wondering what you're doing here." Chiron stated with nods all around. "Well as much as you guys deserve a break, the gods need you for a mission." Sighs went around while the centaur pinched the bridge of his nose. "Settle down. I know this is hard, especially after all you've gone through." He paused to look at his students. "So try not to thing of this as a quest. Think of it as time off. I think, although this is dangerous, it will be enjoyable in some ways for you. To help me explain, Nico di Angelo and Lady Hecate will talk to you." Chiron moved out of the way in time as a boy came through the wall and a goddess came into sight.

"Thank you Chiron," Hecate said. Her dark purple eyes skimmed the table. "Have you guys ever heard of wizards?"

Leo poked his head up from his tool belt where he was assembling some sort of mechanism under the table. "You mean the people who wave sticks around and yell spells at each other?"

Hecate took a deep breathe. "A couple of centuries ago, I made a group of people out of magic. You see, I redeemed myself to the King of the Gods, so he allowed me one wish. And my wish was to have my own group of people, since my children are rare and not always welcomed. Now, they do wear robes and pointy hats, have wands, and fly on brooms. But do not underestimate them. They are powerful, though most people need outlets, which are the reason for wands. An example of a powerful wizard is Tom Riddle. However, his hubris got to him. He was greedy and always searching for power. And for that, he became a dark wizard. Nico?"

Nico cleared his throat and stood up to face everyone. "I don't know much detail about this Tom Riddle, but he's bad news. He has angered my father, but he can't do anything about it as he's a god. There was a prophecy about Tom, and he tried to prevent it. And we can pretty much guess how that worked out." A chorus of groans agreed. "He murdered two people by the name of Lily and James Potter. He then tried to kill the baby, Harry, but the spell backfired. Tom died. But," He raised his hands dramatically, "His soul never reached the underworld. Dad has a feeling he is rising again, very soon. This puts Harry Potter in danger. Lady Hecate?" Nico sat back down.

"This is your mission. You go to the school he attends, befriend him, and just watch out for him. A war is brewing and it could be disastrous. We don't expect you to risk your lives for him, but do try to keep him out of trouble." Her ancient eyes looked stressful and almost pleading. The demigods glanced at each other, then slowly nodded their heads.

"How long will it take to complete this mission?" Annabeth finally spoke up. At this, the goddess pursed her lips. 

"A couple of years." Everyone once again shared looks. "You go during the year, then come back for the summer. I know this is asking too much, but the gods need your help. The boy cannot do it alone, and we have the strongest demigods in generations here. We are asking for your help."

"Flattery won't work on us, Lady Hecate. However.." Piper's voice trailed off while looking at the others. "Learning magic would be interesting, and I believe we could take a break from quests for a while." People nodded their agreement.

"Thank you heroes. I will give you your wands, and you'll be spending a week at the The Order Of Phoenix headquarters. You'll meet everybody you need to know and the Headmaster of the school will answer any questions you have. I don't think I have to include this, but do not reveal your identities to any of the students. Am I clear?" Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Good. Meet at the top of Half-Blood Hill at noon tomorrow I will be transporting everyone at the destination." With that, the goddess was out of sight.

/ Line Break /

"What do you think about this new mission?" Percy asked his girlfriend, on their way to Cabin 3.

"I'm not sure, this is all just so new. Wizards? It's just too much. After all we've been through, there's magic now?" She shook her head. "I don't know Percy. It's just too bizarre."

The rest of the walk was in comfortable silence. Annabeth started to pack for the both of them, since they lived together in the Poseidon cabin. Chiron, even Mr. D, couldn't keep them apart. The screaming at night was all too much stress for the other campers. Too many questions were asked, and Chiron sympathised. So he allowed Annabeth to move in with Percy. 

"Goodnight, Wise Girl." Percy yawned.

Annabeth, who was on his chest, replied with a "Goodnight Seaweed Brain." Before they both passed out from the overwhelming day.

/ Line Break /

After breakfast, the demigods agreed to meet at the meeting place. Although they were an hour early, Hecate came by. In her hands she held wands.

"Now, these were especially made for you. From the wood, to the cores. So please don't break them." Hecate sighed and looked at Leo and Percy before handing everyone their wands.

"Since you guys have no knowledge of the wizarding world, I will cast a spell on you guys. It shouldn't hurt, it'll just give you 4 years worth of knowledge since everyone is going to be in the fourth year. I recommend closing your eyes." A grey mist surrounded the half-bloods while the goddess of magic continued to chant. At the end of it, a white light flashed and the people on the hill clutched their heads while groaning.

"You said it wasn't going to hurt!" Leo complained.

"I said it shouldn't." Hecate smiled softly, amusement in her eyes.

After everyone got their bearings back, they stood in a tight circle. 8 people in a circle, surrounding a glowing goddess. Surprisingly, not the weirdest thing they have done.

The 8 demigods landed outside where an old man with a long beard awaited them. His half moon glasses were resting on the edge of his nose while regarding the new comers.

"Welcome. Let's go inside where we can start our meeting." The building they were standing in front of opened, revealing a new one. The half-bloods followed the old man inside.

Meanwhile, Ron Weasely, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger were sitting in the kitchen speaking of the new students.

"I wonder what they'll be like." Ron said.

"I wonder what kinda magic they use! Or if they use different magic." Hermione added.

"I just hope they are nothing like Malfoy." Harry expressed, leaning back in his chair. That's when the door opened, revealing Dumbledoor with the kids. Molly Weasley came rushing in.

"Come in! Come in! You must be hungry!" 

"Uh, no thank you. We feel kind of jet lagged." A boy with blonde hair and a scar by his mouth said.

"Alright, we shall have the Order meeting now. You three, go upstairs and no listening!" The mother exclaimed. The said three went upstairs.

/ Line Break /

| Percy Pov |

After the three kids went up and the door closed, Mrs. Weasley ushered us into a room where a good amount of people were sitting. Then she waved her wand around, probably putting a silencing charm on just in case.

"Let's start with introductions on our part shall we?" She summoned chairs, and we all took a seat.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at the Wizarding School named Hogwarts."

I couldn't keep in his giggles and looked around. Leo started to laugh, and the others followed along. I couldn't help it. It was just funny sounding. However, we earned a couple of glares.

"Anyways." Someone cut it, "My name is Arthur Weasley, and that's my wife." He said, pointing at the lady who brought us in.

"I am Severus Snape." Said a man who looked vaguely familiar. Like I might have seen him in passing a couple of times, but I couldn't remember exactly where. Or maybe he was on TV? But I didn't watch much TV either. While I pondered this, the introductions were over.

"Titles, names, or a bit of history?" Hazel asked.

"A bit of history. We'll answer all questions afterwards, so no interruptions please." Annabeth said, rolling her hand in a 'go on' motion.

"I am Hazel Levesque. Daughter of Pluto, Hades' Roman form. I died in the 1940's, and was brought back to life my brother. It's been 10 monthsish since I've been alive, again, and I'm still adjusting. I released the magical horse known as Arion, and he has adopted me as his human. I aided in the defeat of Alycyoneus. I am a centurion of the Fifth Cohort in New Rome. I defeated Scirion using the Mist. I also defeated the sorceress Pasiphaë, and helped shadow travel my friends out of the House of Hades. Frank Zhang is my boyfriend. I took part in destroying Gaea. I am one of the chosen 7, and I'm a hero of Olympus." She sighed and sat down. She then gave Frank a small squeeze and he stood up.

"My name is Frank Zhang, son of Mars, Area's Roman form. Though, I am a descendent of Periclymenus, which means I can change into animals. I'm also a legacy of Poseidon. While I'm at it, I'm a Chinese Canadian too.. Anyways, I defeated a couple of basilisks and aided killing Alycyoneus and Polybotes. I aided in killing Chrysaor and his dolphin men. I am slayer of all the Katobleps in Italy. I became Praetor of the Twelfth Legion, commanding an army of ghosts against monsters. I helped capture Nike, the goddess of Victory, and used my sock to gag her. I took part in bringing down Mother Earth. I am one of the chosen 7, and a hero of Olympus."

Piper then stood up and took a deep breathe. "My name is Piper McLean. I am a daughter of Aphrodite, and head counselor of cabin 10. I have the ability to charmspeak, though I try not to use it. However, in the Wolf House, I did use it to lull Gaea back to sleep, even if it was momentarily. I am wielder of the blade Katoptris, who can see visions. I fought the goddess Khione, and won, taking her brothers swords as my own. I also made my friend's metal dragon come to life. I aided in the destruction of the giants. I lulled Gaea to sleep, and helped destroy her. I am one of the chosen 7, and a hero of Olympus."

After she sat down, Jason stood. "I am Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Zeus' Greek form. I am also Piper's boyfriend. I am considered Pontifex Maximus, and I'm head counselor of cabin one. I used to be Praetor until I gave my position to Frank. I was also taken by Juno, Hera's Greek form, and had my memories washed away. I am defeater of the ventus spirit Dylan. I am defeater of Krios on Mount Othyrus. I defeated Polybotes with the help of Kym. I held Gaea up in the sky to defeat the primordial goddess. I aided in destroying lots of monsters, I'm one of the chosen 7, and I'm a hero of Olympus."

Leo jumped up and stretched. "I am Leo Valdez, Bad Boy Supreme, Super Sized McShizzle, and the Repair Boy. My mother was killed by Gaea when I was young and my aunt was actually Hera. I repaired a metal dragon and named him Festus. After he was destroyed, I made him the head maste on my spanking hot war machine. You can pretty much call me the captain. I do all the repairs and I like to build things. On our way to Greece, I rebuilt my dragon in the ship. Once we were thrown all the way to New York, I used my dragon to help raise Gaea into the sky. I blew her up, and died in the process. I found an impossible island and save a goddess, who's now my girlfriend, from her island! I was brought to life by a cure we asked Apollo's son for. Team Leo!" Leo then brought out what he was building and shot it into the sky. Everyone had 'Team Leo' written on their arms. I shook with laughter and then burst with giggles with everyone else. 

Once everyone settled, Nico got up and sat on the table, slouching his shoulders. "I am Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. Half-brother to Hazel. My sister, Bianca, died in an accident. My mother was killed by the 'King of Gods'". Here he took a breath and shook his head. " I was born in the 1900's and was trapped in a casino where time stops. I am the Ambassador of Pluto and took the title of Ghost King from Midas in the Battle of the Labyrinth. I convinced my father to help Percy in the Second Titan War. I brought honour to my father. I ventured into Tartarus.. which is hell, mind you, to close the Doors of Death.. but.. " Nico had to stop and Hazel put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. I understood how he felt. "I was captured and put in a jar, awaiting for the seven to rescue me. I promised Percy that I'd go to the House of Hades and close the Doors of Death. I was then forced by Cupid, he's the worst, to reveal my feelings for Percy. Which are gone, by the way. I was able to obtain Diocletian's scepter, which summons ghosts. I used this to assist Frank and the others in defending ourselves. Later, I took the quest of taking the Athena Parthenos from Greece to New York, which nearly killed me. I had help from Reyna and Coach Hedge. On the way, I accidentally murdered a guy by turning him into a ghost and sending him to the Fields of Punishment. We did make it to Camp Half-Blood and I helped prevent the camp from being overrun. I am defender and Hero of Olympus Twice and I'm a survivor of Tartarus." Nico sat down and put his head in his hands. Piper was trying to convince him everything was okay while Hazel rubbed his back.

To take the attention off of him, Annabeth stood up. "I am Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. Girlfriend of Percy Jackson. Rebuilder of Mount Olympus. Head counselor of the Athena cabin. When I was seven years old, I ran away from home. I met Thalia and her friend Luke." Her voice cracked and I held her hand. She gave me a squeeze. "On our way to camp, we were constantly attacked by monsters. We were led into a trap by a Cyclops, and I managed to stab him in the foot and escape with my friends. We made it to Camp, but Thalia died and turned into a tree. Luke grew bitter because of this. I went on the quest to return Zeus' Master Bolt and we succeed. I sailed the Sea of Monsters and I. Am. Nobody. I outsmarted the giant guarding the Golden Fleece. I was kidnapped and force the hold the weight of the world, literally. I lead the quest through the Labyrinth. I helped in the Second Titan War. My old blade was the one Luke used to kill himself to kill the Titan Lord. I almost went crazy looking for Percy after Hera took him from me. I took my own path to get the Mark of Athena. A quest where no others have returned. I found it and was faced with my worst fear. Arachne. I was able to trap her, but she dragged me into Tartarus. Before I fell, Percy grabbed me. But, he couldn't pull us both up. And we fell.." I stood up and pulled her into a hug. "I spent my birthday in hell. We were there for 2 and a half weeks. Bob.. and Damasan.." She started to sob and I held back my own tears. After a moment, she continued. "We faced Tartarus himself and were able to reach the overworld once again. Even through our many sacrifices. I helped defeat the giants, I am the Savior of Olympus multiple times. I survived Tartarus and helped defeat Gaea. I am one of the Chosen 7."

I held her in my arms and kissed her tears away. It was my turn and I was nervous. "I am Perseus Jackson, though I prefer Percy. I am a Praetor of New Rome and Head Counselor of Cabin 3. I am a Son of Poseidon. When I was 12 years old, I was attacked my the Minotaur. I thought my mother died, so I killed him with my bare hands. In a game of Capture the Flag, I was attacked by a hellhound. That's when my father claimed me. However, this angered Zeus further, so I had to venture to get Zeus' lightning bolt. I obtained my sword Riptide from my mentor, and it always reappears in my pocket. I killed Procrustes with it and traveled into the underworld. I also accidentally blew up the Saint Louis Arc. I fought, and beat, the war god when I was 12. I was able to return the Master Bolt and Hades' Helm of Darkness. I sailed the Sea of Monsters and took the Golden Fleece. Although I was turned into a guinea pig on the way." I smiled sheepishly and Annabeth gave a small laugh. "I went on a quest to save Annabeth from the Titan's. I held the sky up while battle went on. I traveled the Labyrinth and defeated the giant Aneaus. I broke The Hundred Handed One out of prison. My friend Rachel also hit the Titan Lord in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush. I also also accidentally blew up a whole volcano and woke up one of the worst Titans. But when I went to war, I killed a couple of badies. I went back into the underworld and Nico had me take the Curse of Achilles. I became invisible. I only had one weak spot, one part of me that kept me mortal. After the war, the gods offered me immortality. I turned it down for Annabeth. I wanted to spend our lives together, yanno?" I blushed and ran my hands through my hair. "I was kidnapped and lost my memory. The only thing I remembered was my name and Annabeth's. It would have literally killed me if I didn't know who she was because she's what made me mortal. I traveled to Alaska and took back the Eagle for the Twelfth Legion. When I was finally reunited with my girlfriend, do you know what she did? She flipped me!" Everyone laughed a bit at that. "When I finally saw Annabeth again.. well she was falling into Tartarus. I grabbed her by one arm, and held on with the other. Once we fell in, we were attacked by many monsters. We had help from a friend named Bob.. His real name was Iapetus. I defeated him and washed his memory clean a while back, doing a chore for Hades. The giants were after us and to get to the Doors of Death, we had to be shrouded in the Mist. So we went and that is where we saw Misery. She would be able to hide us from the monsters. When she tried to kill us, I used my powers to try to kill her. Even when she was down, I used her own poison to choke her. I wanted to keep going, it felt so good, I felt so powerful. I wanted to see how much misery Misery could take. Thankfully, Annabeth snapped me out of it. After we left hell, we headed straight for Greece. Arriving at the roots of the gods, we planned for an ambush. However, it went all wrong. Me and 'Beth got captured and the giants needed our blood to awaken Gaea. I was slammed into a pillar and my bloody nose, sorry for the pun, woke up the goddess. Can you believe that? In the end, she was defeated, thankfully. But we sacrificed so much. Even our own sanity. I am the Hero of Olympus multiple times. I am survivor of Tartarus. I am one of the Chosen 7 and I am tired of being the gods pawn." I slumped back in my seat, pulling Annabeth along with me. It was silent for a while, everyone lost in their own thoughts.

"That's terrible." Molly finally spoke up. "No children should have been through any of that."

"I think it's fair to say that we aren't children anymore. Plus, the gods don't care. They are arrogant and have big egos." I laughed bitterly. Lighting shook the building. 

"Percy.. I'd be careful." Piper warned.

"When was the last time they did us a favour? Piper, when you've gone too hell and suffered what we've suffered, then you try to act respectful towards the gods."

Piper opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it. I sighed before saying, "I'm sorry.. it's just. It's so hard." Slamming my head on the table, I could feel the wizards unease from the amount of information.

"Have you got any questions?" Jason piped up.

"Are you going to tell the kids?" The one named Lupin asked.

"Of course not." Piper assured. "It'd be in our best interest."

"Could we see your powers?" Asked a girl named Tonks. We all nodded our heads.

Hazel summoned jewels from the earth and then put them back with some 'oohs' and 'aahs'. Frank turned into a snake, then into a dog, then back into Frank. He earned a round of applause. Piper told everyone to drop and give her 10, which they unwillingly did, but weren't mad about it. Jason jumped into the air and floated around everyone's head. That earned a couple of gasps and laughs. Leo said "This boy is on fire!" Then proceed to run around on fire. Nico summoned some skeleton's then sent them back. Annabeth correctly guessed everyone's age and hobby's because she's smart like that. I used to the water in the glasses on the table to raise then fall on me. I let it wet me then snapped my fingers and I was dry again.

"That sure is interesting. I believe your help will be useful, and I assure you it will not be a waste of time." Albus concluded. On that happy note, we all left to eat.

 

\--------  
A/N What'd you guys think? Anything I should fix? Any Povs you'd like to see? Comments? Questions?

Qotd:  
Would you be in the Harry Potter world and be friends with the trio or be in Percy Jackson world and be friends with the 7?

My answer:  
PJ because it'd be a diverse world and you have an excuse for getting in trouble. Maybe even get a chance in Elysium.


	2. The Cool Kids

| Harry Pov |

Once we were upstairs, Ron grabbed the Extendable Ears. Sure, it would be disrespectful to ease drop, but I wanted to know what they were doing here. Ron grabbed the ears and put it in-between himself and Hermione. I stood behind them and put my ear to it.

"Do you hear anything?" Hermione whispered.

"No. I think they put the Muffliato charm on the room." I sighed.

"Do you think it's about what Dad was telling me? About something new happening at school?" Ron questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Hmm that could be true." Hermione pondered. "But why are they staying here? What's going to happen at school?" Hermione shook her head and went into the room. We followed her in, and waited for Mrs. Weasley to call for dinner.

-Time Skip-

"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Come down, dinner's ready!" Mrs. Weasley called from downstairs. We went down to see the table extended, and the Americans shuffling around nervously.

"Ah, Harry!" Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder. "Tomorrow you are going to go to Diagon Alley with the Americans. Your to take them to Gringots and to walk around Diagon. Let them get used to the British Wizards. And while you're there, get your school supplies. Do try to keep an eye on them, they are more trouble than you and your friends." He gave a low chuckle, then waved us goodbye. We stood there momentarily confused.

"Harry sit down-" Fred started.

"Please, we are-" George continued.

"Starving!" Said Fred and George.

We sat down at the table and Mrs. Weasley started passing around the food. After a while, Hermione finally spoke up.

"Who are you guys? What are you doing here? Is your magic in America different? If so, how? What did Dumbledore mean when he said you guys were trouble? How long are you going to be here? Why-" I grabbed her arm and gave her a sideways glance.

"Make sure you breathe, sweet cheeks." Said the elfish looking guy. Hermione blushed and apologised.

"For confidentially reasons, we can only answer so many questions. My name is Annabeth Chase." Then the 8 people introduced themselves. "We do physical combat with weapons everyday and practice magic every couple of days. I think Dumbledore was just teasing you guys." Annabeth gave a smile.

"Are guys from the same school?" Ron offered after seconds of silence.

"Kind of." The guy named Frank shrugged.

We left it at that. After a boring silence, I started to twirl my knife on my plate. Everyone was still eating, so I stayed until Ron was done eating. Not paying attention, the knife fell and sliced my hand. I yelped in surprise and brought my hand up. Blood was trailing down my hand. I got up to clean it up, but someone started to scream. I turned around to see Percy clutching his head on the table, screaming his head off. Before I could ask if he was okay, Mrs. Weasely rushed me out of the room to clean up my small injury.

-Annabeth Pov-

It's been a long time since we saw blood. The last time was when we both woke up Gaea, so imagine our surprise when we saw it for the first time in a while. Percy started to scream and have a panic attack. I could just simply stare and cry and join in with the yelling. I latched onto Percy while things were flashing through my mind. Getting dragged into the pit by Arachne. Percy almost drowning in the river Cocytus. Being blind and not able to find Percy because of the Curses. Percy trying to kill Akhlys and not stopping. Bob and Damasen sacrificing themselves for their escape. Getting captured by the giants. Before I could further be stuck in my memories, I felt a slight pain on my cheek. 

"Annabeth?" Piper asked. I looked up too see everyone's concerned faces. Percy had stopped screaming and had his head in his hands. Slowly, realisation dawned on me.

"Did you just slap me?" I asked without malice, just shock.

"Well I was able to calm Percy down, but you were still screaming and it's been a while since you've had a flashback, so we forgot how painful it is for you. I couldn't calm you down and a painting started to yell profanities, so I panicked. Sorry." Piper finished quickly.

"Thanks Pipes." I smiled at her and took her hand. She just had a reassuring atmosphere around here that made me feel safe and comfortable. Because really, she was just as scared as I was and she was embracing the fear for the both of us.

/ Line Break /

After apologising for the sudden outbursts, me and Percy went up to one of the rooms. We took a bed in the back corner. Percy took off his shirt and started to do his nightly workout sessions. I decided to join him because we found it easier to sleep when we were tired.

100 pushups later, we took a shower (separately) and finally crawled into bed. He had his gym shorts on and I had his orange camp tee with some shorts.

"Beth, do you ever wonder what'll happen when we die?" Percy whispered in my ear.

"I would be personally offended if we didn't get Elysium." I laughed softly.

"Do you think you'd go for rebirth?"

I looked at him for a good long minute before speaking. "Honestly, I don't know. It would be nice to forget everything that's happened and live a demigod free life, but I don't think I'd want to forget you."

"I'd stay in Elysium. I don't think I would risk losing you either." He snuggled into my neck, giving me soft kisses. "As long as we're together."

I wrapped my arms around him and fell asleep with a smile on my face.

-Hermione Pov-

I was upstairs with Harry and Ron. We were talking about what happened earlier.

"What do you think that was about?" Ron asked.

"I think the blood might have triggered something. It seemed like they were having flashbacks." I offered.

"Don't you find that weird? It wasn't even much blood. What'd you reckon they remembered?" Harry inquired.

"I don't know. We were pushed out of the room by Ron's dad. Dumbledore obviously trusts them, but for a reaction that bad?" I shook my head. "I didn't even know America had wizarding schools. And physical combat? I think there's more to them than they are letting on." I finished. Maybe someone died? But then who died? These new people made no sense, and I wanted to find out everything about them.

"At least they aren't like Malfoy." Ron shrugged, earning a smile from Harry.

"I think we should retire. It's getting late, and we have to show them around tomorrow." Both boys nodded and headed upstairs.

When I entered the room the females were staying in, I had to do a double take. In the back, slept the odd couple. Percy had his shirt off where scars decorated his body. Annabeth was curled up next to him and had a smile on her face. Ginny was on a bed by the door and had the same questioning look as I did. I shrugged it off, and took the bed across from her.

/ Line Break /

I woke up to Mrs. Weasley walking in, telling us breakfast was ready. After getting ready for the day, I walked downstairs and greeted everyone. 

"Hagrid should be coming by soon, he's going to accompany you guys to Diagon Alley." Lupin said. Harry grinned and high-fived Ron.

Me, Ginny, Ronald, and Harry were upstairs going over our list of things we needed for school. Until we heard things getting knocked over downstairs. Curious, we ran down stairs to see the Americans holding.. baseball bats? Hagrid was in a corner and looked frightened.

"Now, now yer can put them things away." He squeaked.

"But your a giant! You should be dead!" Jason growled.

"Well you see, I'm only 'alf giant. I ain't a real giant!" He put his massive hands in front of his face.

"Stop!" Harry shouted. "What are you doing?! He's a good guy, he wouldn't hurt anyone!" He exclaimed.

"A good giant?" Everyone looked at Annabeth and Percy, who probably were the leaders. She nodded her head, and everyone put their bats down. She then grabbed Percy's hand and closed her eyes.

"What the bloody hell was that about?!" Ron shouted, confusion gone.

"Well we just finished a war with giants you see, and he startled us. I guess our giants are different than the ones here." Hazel waved her hand as if that explained everything.

"You went to war?" I asked. Immediately everyone tensed and looked at each other.

"Yes." Said Nico, and it was clear that that was the end of the conversation.

/ Lots of Line Breaks /

We split up into 4 teams. I got Annabeth and Percy. Harry got Hazel and Frank. Ron, Piper and Jason. Hagrid Nico, Leo, and Ginny. Together, we went into Gringots.

"We are going to go to the Weasley vault, the Potter vault.. and?" Hagrid looked between the Americans. Nico pulled out an envelope from his jacket and gave it to the goblin.

"That's interesting." The goblin looked at everyone who was crowded in front of him. "I see." Then he led us to the cart. Once we got in, the cart immediately expanded to fit everyone.

"First stop, the Weasley's." Announced the goblin. Once we got there, Hazel jumped out and proceeded to throw up. Once Ron and Ginny got a couple of Knuts, we went to Harry's vault which had more money in it. A couple of stacks of Galleons were piled in the center. Harry grabbed a few handfuls and stuffed it in his pockets. Next vault was the Americans. We went on the lowest levels, which was odd because the things down here looked dusty. 

We arrived at a vault that was huge and made of what looked like marble. The doors looked solid gold. The goblin touched the door, but it didn't open. "Percy, you need to touch it." He grunted. Percy then stepped forward and the doors flew open.

"Holy Hephaestus." Leo muttered. I could only agree. There were stacks on stacks of the regular wizarding money as well as other coins. On the walls, what looked like golf clubs were hanging. Ron attempted to walk inside, but was bounced off.

"Oi, what's that for?" He half yelled.

"Only they can go inside." Was the goblins reply. So we just waited and watched as the students went inside and grabbed the gold coins, and the coins I didn't recognise, and shoved them in their bags.

"Percy!" We heard Annabeth gasp. They were hidden behind a mountain of coins, so we couldn't see what she was so shocked about. 

"I don't know how they got all that money, but it's safe to say that they are richer than Malfoy." Harry chuckled. Ron looked a little peeved.

Once they were done, and we were up on ground level, about to split up, Frank snapped his fingers.

"This is thanks for today!" He then grabbed a handful of Galleons, which was a lot, and put them in Ron's hand. He then gave me, Harry, and Ginny a handful as well.

"T-thank you!" Ron's face looked beyond happy as he stuffed then into his pockets.

"Meet back here in 2 hours?" I asked. After everyone agreed, we took off.

"So what do you wanna do?" I asked the couple next to me.

"I think I'd like to go see the bookshop." 

"Wise Girl, why don't we go see the animals first!?" Percy asked with a pout on his face. After a couple of seconds, Annabeth sighed.

"Fine."

Once we walked in, owls started to fly around Percy and Annabeth. "Annie, make them stop!" Percy said, swatting around his head. Once the owls finally settled down, the shopkeeper laughed.

"I've never seen that happen before!" 

"I'm guessing you sell owls?" 

After another laugh, the shopkeeper replied with a yes.

"Do you sell any fish? Or sea horses? Or any aquatic animal?" Percy asked. That isn't strange at all. While Percy did whatever he does, I followed Annabeth around the shop. I pointed out some owls that were for writing letters, show, and some that were just for company. After almost giving up, a sleek black great horned owl caught her attention.

"I think I'll take that one." She said pointing to the animal.

"Sorry little lady, but that owl refuses to adopt anyone." The shopkeeper said with a small, sad smile.

"Is that right?" Annabeth tilted her head and looked at the owl. The owl hooted and landed on her outstretched arm. "He was just waiting for the perfect owner." Annabeth laughed.

The three of them walked out. Annabeth with her owl named Merlin, and Percy with his Water Phoenix named Neptune. How the hell did he get one? No idea. I didn't even know they existed! I followed the two of them into a bookstore where a lady, who must have been new, was standing and looking at the door. As if expecting them.

"Ah, I see you got your gift, Perseus." The lady said with a smile.

"You gave this to me! Thanks, this is awesome!" Percy laughed.

"Mom! What are you doing here?!" Annabeth exclaimed next to me, looking almost panicked.

"Ah, my favorite daughter. Hello Annabeth." She offered another warm smile.

"Mom..." Then I swear she slipped into a different language. First, she was speaking English, but now I couldn't tell. I only watched dumbfounded as the three people in front of me talked.

"Thank you, Lady." Percy bowed his head, and Annabeth did the same.

"Perseus, let it be known that I do dislike you and your father. But since you went through lengths for my daughter, I can turn a blind eye. Let the gods be with us." With that, Annabeth's mom walked out of the shop like nothing ever happened.

"She doesn't like you dating her daughter?" I asked.

"We had a feud since I was 12, but I think she's grown on me." Percy gave her a lopsided smile.

-3 Hours Later-

"So you want us to believe that they can talk in different languages, and are probably plotting something?" Harry summed up.

"Yes!" I threw my hands up as I walked around the room. "He called her 'Lady'! Who does that?"

"Well you did say he didn't get along with Annabeth's mom, so maybe he was trying to be respectful." Ron added.

"Okay, but the water Phoenix? They are supposed to be extinct!"

"Maybe not in America. Hermione, you just need to calm down." Harry sighed.

"There's just something suspicious about them." I concluded and walked away.

/ Line Break /

"Hurry up, you're gonna miss the train!" Mrs. Weasley called up.

I got up and looked at the clock. It read 10:32. Immediately I got up, grabbed my trunk, and threw it in the car. Once everything was settled, we were on our way to the Hogwarts Express.

"What about the Americans?" Ginny asked. Through all the rushing, I noticed we only took one car.

"They'll be coming later." Was her response, leaving us confused.

-Percy Pov-

"What do you mean we have to make an entrance?" I asked Dumbledore. He came back while the kids went off for school.

"For the Triwizard Tournament, two different schools are going to be competing. They are going to make some kind of entrance to look flashy, and I want you guys to do it too." He explained again.

"If we still had the Argo II, that would have been flashy." Leo mumbled, playing with who knows what under the table.

"I could call Blackjack and his friends to fly us?" I offered. 

"Or I could get Festus to do it." Leo said, hope in his eyes.

"I don't think we are all going to fit on your dragon, Leo." Piper said gently.

"I could get some skeleton horses?" Nico piped up.

"Do all of them!" Dumbledore clapped. "Leo, Piper, and Jason could take the dragon. Percy and Annabeth can take their Pegasus, and the rest can take the skeleton horses."

"Or I could take Arion, my horse, and Frank could ride with my brother." Hazel smiled. 

"I'll make you a separate horse." Nico smirked.

"Awesome! Be there around 8:00." With that, Dumbledore got up and walked away.

It took about an hour, but Blackjack and Festus finally joined the party.

'What's up boss. Got any donuts?'

"Yeah, hold on." I replied in my mind. I walked inside and grabbed him a box.

'Thank you boss. I knew you were awesome'

Meanwhile, Leo was jumping up and down, feeding his dragon hot sauce. Not weird at all. Hazel fed her horse gold nuggets, while he kept cussing about this and that.

"I think we should get going." Jason said. We all nodded are heads in agreement. Leo got on Festus followed by Piper then Jason. Hazel mounted Arion while she stroked his mane. Nico summoned two horses. You could see the bones through the light grey flesh on their bodies.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Leo whooped.

Once we got into sight of the school, all eyes were on us. I mean it's not everyday you see a bronze dragon carrying three kids. Or a black Pegasus with two kids lazily leaning into each other, not holding on. Or a girl on a horse, that's running on water. Or two kids on decaying horses. So compared to the other schools, I think we made our entrance pretty flashy.

When we landed, Hazel gave her horse some gold, then he ran away. Nico and Frank dismounted, and the two horses collapsed into each other, before melting into the shadows. 

'Boss, I'm tired. You think I could spend the night?'

I looked at my pegasus. Then I remembered he had to fly all the from New York then to this place.

"Sure, you can stay with Festus." I grinned at him.

'As long as he doesn't eat me' Blackjack whined.

"Yo Leo, Blackjack is scared Festus is going to eat him. What's your dragon's diet?" I yelled above the mumbling everyone was doing.

"Hot sauce! Your horse is fine. I think Festus wouldn't mind having a friend, right?"

The dragon made clicking noises, which was morse code. As far as I know, only Annabeth and Leo understood it.

"So these are yer animals, huh?" Hagrid came up to us. "I've nefer takin' care uf a pegasus or a metal dragon before. Anything I should know?"

"The pegasus likes to eat donuts and sugar cubes. He'll only let us 8 ride him, so don't try it. He'll get violent. The dragon needs some repairs, so let him be. He likes hot sauce and talks in morse code." Piper briefed.

"Got it. Er, thanks. I'll take good care of em, I will." Hagrid assured. The two animals followed after him.

"Let's go inside shall we?" Leo grinned, rubbing his hands together.

As we entered, I could hear everyone gasp. Yeah, the castle was pretty amazing, but that just meant that Annabeth was probably going to ask for blueprints. And Leo would probably try to figure out all the secrets to it.

They walked into the Great Hall and stood with the other schools, unsure of where to sit. That is until Dumbledore stood up and everyone feel silent, looking up at him.

"I will give out a few notices before we begin. I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all those below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." He let everyone groan for a second before continuing. "This is due to an event that will be starting, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts- has the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the TriWizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year! The TriWizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued. There have been several attempts over the centuries to re-instate the Tournament, none of which have been very successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will himself or herself in mortal danger. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the TriWizard Cup, the glory of their school and a thousand Galleons personal prize money. Eager though I know you all will be to bring the TriWizard Cup to Hogwarts, the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose and age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put their names forward for consideration. This is a measure that we feel is necessary, given that the Tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be remaining with us for a greater part of this year. I know that you will extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. That being said, we have another school joining us. Since it is the first time in a while the Triwizard Tournament is being held, I decided to ask an American school to join. So please welcome the students of Jupiter's Wizarding Camp." Rounds of applause went up. Dumbledore then extended the tables. "Let the feast, begin!"

We sat down at Harry's table while the other schools sat with other tables. Leo started a fire under the table and we all made our sacrifices.

'Please Dad. Give me assurance and confidence. Lady Athena, if what you say is right, and I'm not saying it's wrong, please guide me. And Lady Hecate, please assist me.'

"Holy, do you guys smell that?" Ron said from across from us. "Smells wonderful!"

"It smells like food Ronald." Hermione chided. Ron looked skeptical, but continued to eat. This was going to be an interesting school year.

 

\---------  
A/N I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this story. I'm just kinda making stuff up as I go. Feel free to correct any mistakes or ask questions. All feedback is welcomed :D

QotD:  
If you watched Doctor Who; who was your favorite doctor?

Answer:  
Definitely 10/David Tennant.


	3. ಠ_ಠ

-Nico Pov-

After we finished eating, Dumbledore got up to say something else.

"Durmstrang students will be sleeping with the Slytherins, Beauxbatons students will be sleeping with Ravenclaws, and Jupiter's Wizarding Camp will be sleeping with the Gryffindors. Prefects, please show your table to their headquarters. Will the Americans please stay after?" He waved his hand while everyone got up and started to file out.

"For privacy reasons, we gave you guys a whole floor to yourselves. Ladies can enter the gentleman's room, but gentlemen cannot enter the ladies room. Also, on the seventh floor, there is a room called the Room of Requirements. Walk pass the wall a couple of times thinking about what you need. You can use that as training grounds. You don't have to attend classes, but I would recommend it to keep an eye on Harry. That is all." After giving Annabeth directions to the Gryffindor Tower, we arrived and were met with a portrait.

"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.

"Balderdash." Hazel replied. The portrait swung open, and we stepped inside. A couple of students were milling around, talking.

"I'm going to head upstairs, if you don't mind." I said and made my way to the very top of tower. I went into the boy's room and was surprised. There were five beds with curtains surrounding each one. Across from the last bed was a water fountain with some drachmas inside. I looked behind me to make sure no one was coming up. I then made my way to the fountain and grabbed a coin.

"O, Iris Goddess of the Rainbow, show me Will Solace at Camp Half-Blood."

The image shimmered and I could see Will doing his nightly patrol.

"Hey Will!" I whispered, so I wouldn't startle him. He turned around and looked at me in shock.

"Nico? It's so good to see you!" He grinned and sat down on a nearby rock. I sat down on the floor.

"I know it hasn't been long, but I miss you." I said sheepishly.

"Me too. I don't have my handsome boyfriend to snuggle with anymore." He laughed. I blushed and looked away.

"And I don't have you to cheer me up." I sighed dramatically.

"You'll Iris Message me everyday, you got that? Maybe write a letter so I could reread it everyday. Also, make sure you get at least 9 hours of sleep. You need it. Make sure you eat all three meals, okay? You need to work up your stamina and stay healthy." He said matter-of-factly with a playful smile.

"Yes, Dad." I rolled my eyes with a grin on my face.

"It's Daddy to you!" He laughed. I went bright red and laughed along.

"I should be going. So I get that 9 hours of sleep." I yawned. 

"Alright. Love you Mr. Di Angelo." He smiled softly.

"Goodnight. Love you too Sunshine." The Iris message disappeared. I crawled into the across from the fountain and feel into a blissful sleep.

-Harry Pov-

Hermione was waiting in the common room for me and Ron. Once she lightly scolded us, we made our way down to the Great Hall. The Americans followed right behind.

"So are you guys going to go to classes with us?" I asked after eating some toast.

"I'm not sure, should we?" Asked the Leo kid. "I don't see the point, we're going to pass all the classes anyways." 

"Oh really?" Asked Hermione skeptically.

"Yeah." Leo said, missing her sarcasm. He was busy playing with something under the table.

"I think we should go. It'll give us hands on experience, and we get to learn more about the students and teachers." Nico said.

"I agree with Nico." Annabeth gave him a smile and he smiled back.

"Aight 'cuz, if you say so." Jason shrugged.

"Wait. You're related?" I asked. Jason had blonde hair and tan skin. Nico had midnight black hair with a pale complexion. I didn't see it.

"Me, Nico, and Jason are cousins." Percy started to explain. "Jason's sister is also our cousin. Nico's er" He looked a bit nervous. "half sister, Hazel, is our cousin too. The rest are like distant cousins in a way." He shrugged.

"Well what's your schedule look like?" Hermione asked, changing the topic.

"We got the same classes with Harry." Frank said.

"You don't know what classes you have, do you?" Hermione sighed. "You're just going to follow him around?"

"Yeah, why not? The kid's great!" Leo smirked.

"Just in case we get separated, I'll tell you the schedule. Today we have Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Then a break. After that we have Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins. We have lunch after that. Then divination. And after that dinner." I read off my timetable.

"Sounds interesting enough." Piper said.

"We should probably get going. We don't wanna be late." Ron muttered. We all got up and headed outside to the greenhouses.

/Time Skip/

The day was anti-climatic. It was good seeing Hagrid again, but his lesson was just not too interesting. Malfoy was also being an arrogant prick, so the lesson was unbearable.

"It's time for divination." Ron complained.

"I told you to drop that class." Hermione said.

"It's good for laughs sometimes," I defended Ron.

"What's divination?" Jason asked.

"It's a useless class." Hermione scoffed.

"Our teacher can supposedly tell the future." I laughed.

"Ugh." The Americans chorused.

/At Divination/

I pulled down the trapdoor and climbed up the ladder with everyone behind me. I walked to the back and sat next to Ron. The Americans sat mostly by each other. Ms. Trelawney then walked into the classroom carrying a textbook.

"Today we will be-" She stopped suddenly. "You!" She pointed at Jason. "You're supposed to be dead!" Then she pointed at Leo. "You're supposed to be dead as well!" Then she looked at Nico. "Y-you! Oh the horrors!" Then she faced Hazel. "You are supposed to be dead too!" Then she looked at the table Percy and Annabeth were sitting at. "Oh gods.." Ms. Trelawney muttered. I exchanged a look with Ron.

"And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.

But despair for your life entombed within stone,

The Titan's curse must one withstand,

You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze,

Destroy with a hero's final breath,

And lose a love to worse than death.

Who holds the key to endless death.

And see the world in endless sleep.

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap,

To storm or fire, the world must fall.

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." She finished, falling backwards. Everyone in the room was silent.

"How did she-" Percy started.

"They are all the-" Annabeth tried to explain.

"She can't know." Nico stammered.

"I only know the last two but-" Jason tried.

"Later." Piper said.

We all just exchanged looks as the teacher finally got up. "Class dismissed." She managed.

The 8 flabbergasted students got up and walked out without another word.

-Percy Pov-

We all ran to the Gryffindor Tower. We didn't stop until we were all inside the guy's dorm. Nico pulled out his wand and put a silencing charm as well as a locking spell on the door.

"What was that about?" Piper asked concerned.

"'And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.' Was from my first quest. I failed to save my mom because I allowed her to save herself, leaving Medusa's Head with her so she could use it on Smelly Gabe." I quietly spoke.

"'But despair for your life entombed within stone,' Clarisse was trapped in Polyphemus' stone cavern with no way to escape until we got there." Annabeth tried to explain.

"'The Titan's curse must one withstand,' was when I held the sky up. It was Atlas, then Luke took it, then Annabeth took it, then Artemis took it, then I held the sky." I sighed, remembering it all too much.

"'You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze, Destroy with a hero's final breath,'. The first line was when Annabeth, Percy, and Grover ventured into the labyrinth. Daedalus died in order to destroy the labyrinth. I freed his soul in order to do so." Nico offered support.

"'And see the world in endless sleep. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap,'. The first line was when Morpheus put New York City to sleep. The second was about Luke. My blade-" She took it out. "was the cursed blade. Luke broke a promise, so my knife was cursed. Luke sacrificed himself to kill Kronos. He died a hero." Annabeth's voice was cracking. Ever since she got her blade and Daedalus' computer back from Gringots, she's been more emotional. I'm pretty sure Hecate asked Hermes to retrieve it and put in the vault knowing we'd be there.

"So that was part of the First Great Prophecy?" Hazel asked with awe.

"Yeah. And we know the Second Great Prophecy." I concluded.

"If this is our first day, imagine how the rest of the school year is going to be." Frank chuckled.

"Nothing is ever easy for us, is it?" Piper gave a wary smile.

"No. But if everything was easy, I don't think I would have met you guys. And honestly, I've grown rather fond of having you guys as friends." Nico cracked one of his rare smiles.

"That's good to hear Nico." Hazel gave her brother a kiss on the cheek and a small hug.

"But then again, who wouldn't want to be friends with The Bad Boy Supreme?" Leo rose his eyebrows and gave a smirk. Nico just rolled his eyes and laughed with the rest of us.

/The Next Day/

"What do we have today?" I asked Harry.

"History of Magic and Potions with the Slytherins." He sneered the last part out.

"What's so bad about Potions?" 

"It's the stupid git who teaches. And the Slytherins are just the worst. Always pick on us. And so does the teacher. Always picking on Harry." Ron then went into further detail about how poorly they have been treated.

"Malfoy you say? He's about this tall." Annabeth motioned with her hands. "Has blonde hair slicked back and has grey eyes?" 

"Ya, you know him?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Nope, no idea who he is." I think I've heard of a Malfoy before, but I'd have to ask Annabeth later about it.

When we walked in the history class, the teacher turned around with wide eyes. Should I mention he's a ghost? I heard the kids talking about ghosts being in the castle, but I thought they were kidding.

"Nico?" The ghost said unsurely.

"Ah, Professor Binns. Long time no see." Nico grinned.

"You should see me after class." The ghost smiled. He then proceeded with his lesson. I fell asleep through the lesson and when I woke up when the class ended, I saw that other did as well.

After lunch, we proceeded down to the dungeons.

"Hey Nico, I think I found your new living quarters!" Jason clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

"Watch it Sparky, or you might end up here." Nico gave one of those smiles that made your skin crawl. Jason stepped back and gave an unsure smile.

"This is the hardest class." Ron whined once we entered the class.

"10 points for complaining Mr. Weasley." Said a new voice. I turned around to see Snape. When he turned the corner, his robes billowed behind him, and I found it hard to keep my giggles in. 

We entered the classroom, and I sat next to Leo. Piper sat with Annabeth in front of us. Hazel and Nico sat across from us. Then Jason and Frank sat across from Annabeth and Piper.

"Today we are going to make a Calming Draught. If it is acceptable, I will give it to Madam Pomfrey. Instructions are on the board, begin." Snape said, then started to walk around the class.

After a while me and Leo exchanged looks, then nodded. I raised my hand. "Yes Mr. Jackson?" The teacher asked.

"Well me and my friends are dyslexic, and we can't read the board, sir." I said gently.

"Ah I see." He waved his wand at the board. Everything then changed into Ancient Greek. But to others, nothing happened. They continued to read the board with no problem.

"I know where I know you from!" I jumped up and looked at him, a proud expression on my face.

"Meet me after class Mr. Jackson." He said stiffly. I shrugged and sat down. Me and Leo finished the potion rather quickly. He kept adjusting the fire and poking it with his fingers. I just whirled the potion with my mind, and then boom it was done.

"Mr. Malfoy, brilliant potion as ever. Ms. Granger's potion is perfect as always." He said mockingly. "Mr. Valdez, Mr. Jackson, excellent work. Mr. Di Angelo, Ms. Levesque, good work. Ms. McLean and Ms. Chase, not bad for starters. 30 points to Gryffindor, and 10 to Slytherin." The teacher sat back down and graded papers until the bell rang.

"Class dismissed. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom, and the Americans please stay."

Harry gave me a sad smile. "Want us to wait for you?"

"Naw, I think Neville can show us the way to the Great Hall. Thank you." I gave him a big smile.

"Sit down please." Snape waved his hand around. "So Perseus have you finally figured out who I am?" I nodded my head.

"At first I was confused but-"

"Hold on, we have people trying to listen in our conversation." Snape then put a silencing charm on the classroom. "Go on."

"When you changed the board to Greek, I knew you must have known that's why we can't read English. Most teachers would have done something else, not change it to a completely different language. Especially a lost language. And I knew I've seen you before a couple of times. I've seen you in New Rome! You run a potions shop there, don't you?" A triumphant smirk was on my face.

"I've heard legends about you. But I didn't think you'd get it before anyone else. I thought Hazel would get it first since I do have a shop in New Rome and I'm her half-brother. As well as Nico."

"I wasn't expecting that!" Leo whistled.

"And you're my half-brother, aren't you Draco?" Annabeth looked like she just solved a puzzle.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He said, holding his hand out. Annabeth shook it.

"I'm a son of Ceres, you know." Neville smiled nervously. "You guys are legends, I didn't think I'd have the pleasure of meeting you. But when Severus said you guys were coming, I was ecstatic! And so was Draco, but he won't admit it." He finished with a shit eating grin.

"What are you guys doing here? A prophecy?" 

"We just happened to be demigods and go here. Severus was able to tell right away and told us about the two camps, to keep us safe over the summer. I couldn't because of my family, but Severus was able to protect me over the years. I was given the job of being a bully so my demigod smell would be covered. I don't know how it works, but if it's pungent enough, monsters usually avoid it. Neville's scent isn't as strong, so he's safe most of the time." Draco then proceeded to explain how how he had to be Harry's enemy because that meant Harry would keep him closer.

"It has been an honor meeting you all. Since we are in the same house, maybe we can talk more?" Neville looked hopeful.

"Sure buddy." I gave him a smile and ruffled his hair.

"You guys should get going. Dinner is going to start, and Dumbledore is going to make an announcement. I'll see you guys later." Severus then walked out of the classroom, holding the door open for us.

-Hermione Pov-

"Okay so let's make a list of everything we know about them." Ron stated.

"They have been to war with giants. Percy and Annabeth seem the most affected. They can speak a different language. They are loaded. They know Snape and Malfoy. And are smart, but they are dyslexic. Also, the divination teacher had said something that obviously made them uncomfortable. And Professor Snape obviously didn't want us listening to what they were talking about." I said, trying to remember anything else I might have forgotten.

"Well that's not much to go on. 'Mione I think you're just overreacting. There's no solid proof that they know Malfoy. As for Snape.. well they must have a good reason. They aren't Death Eaters." Harry tried to reason.

"I'm not saying they are Death Eaters, I'm just saying that they are suspicious." 

"How about we just go down to dinner?" Ron looked at us with pleading eyes.

"Oh, alright." I huffed.

/Time Skip To After Dinner/

Dumbledore stood up after everyone was done eating. "I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Feel free to put your names in now. The champions will be chosen tomorrow at dinner. Now goodnight." He sat back down and spread his hands out. 

Me, Harry, and Ron stayed behind as usual and waited for the hall to clear.

"Hey Hermione, could you do me a favor?" Asked Percy from across from me.

"Sure?"

"Can you write my name on this parchment? I'm dyslexic and I can't write my name very well." He gave me a shy smile.

"What about your friends?" 

"They are dyslexic as well, and I'm going to be the one competing. Even if they put their names in, mines going to come out." He sounded bitter, as if he didn't want to participate.

"Alright, give it here." I gave him a playful smile. He grabbed the parchment and the quill and outstretched his arm to give it to me. When I grabbed it, I noticed a black tattoo on his forearm. Before I could examine it, he pulled his arm back.

I wrote 'Perseus Jackson' on the parchment, and he grabbed it with his other arm. 

"Thanks a bunch!" He then ran to the goblet, placed his name in, then jogged away.

"Did you see that tattoo he has?" I gave Harry a look. "He's got to be a Death Eater!" 

"Don't go jumping to conclusions.." Harry mumbled, but looked slightly worried.

"Let's just go to bed." I sighed. What did Percy mean by him going to be the chosen one? How would he know? While the boys went upstairs, I stayed in the common room. I noticed that there were a few 7th years hanging around, gossiping.

"Do you think you can do me a favor?" I asked one. I felt bad for asking because I was blanking on a name.

"Sure Hermione, what is it."

"Do you think you can put my friend's name in the goblet. Percy already put his name in, but his friends are also dyslexic, so they can't write it themselves. I was hoping you can put them in for me, since I'm too young."

"Sure thing! What's their name's?" After giving him the rest of the names, I accompanied him downstairs, and he dropped all the names in.

"Thanks, I'll tell them tomorrow morning!"

"Anything for you Hermione." He gave me a smile and we walked back up to Gryffindor Tower. If Percy's name does get pulled.. then Harry would have to listen to me. But for now, I headed upstairs and went to sleep.

\------------------------------

A/N I put in a Nico chapter because he is one of my favorite characters. This is kind of a filler chapter. Comments, questions, reviews, corrections? All are welcomed!

QotD:  
Are you a book person or a movie person?

Answer:  
I'm a boom person all the way!

Edited: 13 Nov 16


	4. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

-Annabeth Pov-

I woke up in Percy's bed. We all agreed that either this place blocked our dreams/ nightmares, or Hecate had done that for us. However, I did enjoy sleeping with Percy, and the guys were okay with it, so I stayed. I put on a Yankee's T-shirt and some shorts. I strapped my holster for my blade around my waist, and put my dagger in. What the wizards saw, I had no clue. Maybe a belt? Or nothing at all?

"Morning Wise Girl." Percy sat up and stretched. "We're going to be training today, right?" He yawned and threw his legs over the bed.

"Yeah. Wear something you wouldn't mind me tearing through." I laughed and gave him a wink.

After everyone was dressed, we walked downstairs and sat at the Gryffindor table. Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat across from us. Leo started his flames under the table, and we all sacrificed some of our food.

"Hey Perc, do you mind if I use Neptune to send a letter?" Nico asked, sitting next to me.

"Why would you want to borrow my dad?" He laughed and looked confused.

I laughed and hit him in the shoulder. "Your Water Phoenix, Seaweed Brain."

Realization dawned on him. "Oh yeah! Sure." 

Halfway through breakfast, owls came flying down. Even after a couple of days, I could not get over the sight. The first day, they all swooped towards me and Percy hooting and asking for autographs. I now know how he must feel with all horses and sea critters.

"Isn't that Merlin? And Neptune too!" Hazel pointed out. Merlin landed in front of me with a letter tied to his foot. Same with Neptune. I took the letter off, and my owl rested itself on my shoulder. Percy took his letter off, and his phoenix flew on his head, and fell asleep.

"Who goes first?" Percy asked.

"Mine's from Mr. Brunner, who's yours from?" 

"Family." He said uneasily.

"Yours." I said.

He opened up the letter, and I read over his shoulder. It was in Greek, thankfully.

'Dear Demigods,

Perseus is going to be chosen for the Tournament. I am not completely certain what is going to happen, but you have three obstacles. You need to use magic, most likely, to overcome them. However, you can use your sword if needed. There is someone inside the school who is evil. I can't tell who it is, but you need to try and figure it out. Harry may be in danger. I hope you guys are still undiscovered. I have tried to limit the dreams you have, and the monster activity. Athena says to help Perseus with his wand work and to keep him out of trouble. Poseidon wishes his son luck, and the others hope you don't die. Well, most of them. Good luck heros. You all need to keep a lookout for threats and please do try to not die.

-Hecate'

After I finished reading the letter and memorized it to tell the others, it went up in flames.

"Hopefully Mr. Brunner's isn't as depressing." Percy chuckled, although I could tell he was feeling tense. I opened up the letter.

'Students,

Things here are going rather well. Reyna has been informed of the situation, and so has your families. We got a new camper yesterday, a daughter of Ares. She instantly clicked with Clarisse, not sure if that is good or not. Are you going to come home for break when the time arrives? Be sure to write when you have the chance.

-C'

"At least Reyna knows what's going on. I'd bet she'd be pissed if he hadn't said anything." Jason chuckled, after we passed the letter around.

"What's your family like?" Ron asked Percy out of the blue.

"Oh erm. They are very.. distinct." He said, choosing his words carefully. "On my dad's side of the family, my uncles and aunts are constantly arguing it seems. But my mom is different. She's a wonderful cook and an amazing person in general. She tries to keep the peace and is always there for me. Her boyfriend is also an awesome, understanding guy." He finished.

"Yeah? What bout chu Annabeth?"

"Me.. oh well." That had caught me off guard. What was there to say? "My Father is a creative man. He loves history and is a professor. My step-mom and I don't really get along. My step-brothers are twins and we don't get along either. My mom however, is a different story. She hasn't really been there for me, but I get my love for architecture from her. She's a busy person, but she's wise and kind. Most of the time." I giggled, remembering the time she threatened Percy. Well, one of the times.

"What's your family like, Nico?" Ron continued, obviously oblivious to Harry's uncomfortable demeanor.

"My mom was murdered by my uncle. My sister was killed in a, ah, accident." He glanced at Percy who had a guilty look on his face. "I only met my half sister last year, about. Our dad is cold and distant, although he has tried to improve. I consider my friends to be my family, and I don't hold grudges against any of them." He sent a reassuring smile to both Percy and Jason.

"That must have been hard for you." Hermione said gently. "How about you Hazel?"

"Well my mom died in an accident as well. As Nico said, our father isn't the best, but he has tried to make it up to us. I have grown close to my friends, so close they almost seem like cousins to me." She smirked.

"Friends do have that affect on you after a while." Harry gave a smile. "What about you Frank?"

"Well my mom went to war and died. My grandma took care of me growing up, and she died about a year ago. My dad umm. I've only seen him a couple of times. He likes to pick fights and stuff." Frank said, picking at his food. I don't blame him. I got nothing nice to say about the god of war either.

"Must suck." Ron said, stuffing his face. "You Jason?"

"Well my mom gave me to my aunt when I was little. I didn't meet my sister again until about a year ago. She had told me that our mom passed from drunk-driving. I only met Nico and Percy a couple months ago. But yeah, friends are always there for you. They are my family. My dad is a powerful man. I've only talked to him in person once. He and my uncles usually don't get along." Jason laughed.

"My dad is a famous actor back in America. He's a really nice guy and does try to connect with me, although it can be hard. My mother is a complicated kind of person. She's all about love and making love complicated." Piper sighed.

"My mom died in an accident in her workshop. I was a runaway. I constantly ran until I met Piper and Jason. My dad is often seen as an outcast. He's a mechanic and I've only seen him once." Leo concluded.

"Why are most of your relatives dead? A lot of them died in accidents." Ron said carelessly.

We all tensed up and sent him a glare. He immediately shrank back and whimpered. Yeah, it's true, but no need to point it out.

"My parents died when I was little too." Harry tried to get the attention off of Ron. "I live with my relatives who loathe me."

Gods know we know what that's like.

"Are you going to go to class today?" Hermione said suddenly. "You don't look dressed for learning."

"That's right!" Leo smirked. "We're going to do some training for Percy, so he doesn't die." He laughed. "Because gods know how that's going to work out."

"You can't just skip out on lessons!" Hermione gasped.

"Actually we can, honey." Leo winked. The bell rang, signaling to go to class. We said our goodbyes and headed to the seventh floor.

Once inside the Room of Requirements, we were astonished to say the least. There were punching bags, weapons, and matts. 

"Percy and I are going to spar. Then we're going to trade off. After about an hour and a half, we're all gonna use our wands and practice spells. Any questions?"

"I like fighting and all, but I don't have a fancy sword like you guys. Plus, I'm not sure how good I'll be." Leo said, fidgeting. He was obviously embarrassed about not being a front line fighter.

"That's okay. You can help me. While I'm sparring with Percy, you try to distract him. Throw fire, throw objects, or you can look around and do whatever you needa do." I gave him a reassuring smile, and he looked relieved.

"I'll look around for parts to fix Festus. And I'll shoot fireballs occasionally at you guys." He gave an impish grin then ran off into a side room.

After we finished training, Percy and I went down to the library. The others went up to the dorms to rest and do who knows what. 

"What do you think I'm gonna have to do?" Percy asked after finishing his book.

"I don't know. But I know you can do it. As long as it's not dragons or anything." I laughed. He followed right behind.

"Yeah, I guess so." 

-Harry Pov-

After charms, me, Ron, and Hermione went to the Great Hall. Dumbledore said that the champions would be chosen after dinner.

"Who'd ya reckon is getting picked for Hogwarts?" I asked.

"Dunno." Ron shrugged. "I saw that Diggory kid put his name in, and Angelina."

"I have a confession to make." Hermione blurted. She looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Last night after you guys went up, I asked one of the 7th years to put in the rest of the Americans names. So if Percy get's picked, then we know that something is wrong. He said for certain he was going to be picked. But now with other names him, it might not be him." 

"'Mione!" I gaped at her. "What if someone else get's picked? How'd you think they'd react? Nico doesn't even look 17. Don't you think it'd be suspicious if he got picked?"

Hermione bit her lip. "It was a gamble I was willing to play to prove that something is definitely wrong with them!" She tried to reason. I could only look at her and shake my head at her.

Before Hermione could defend herself, Dumbledore stood up. "Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting....A few people kept checking their watches...

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red . Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped. Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"No surprises there!" yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. I saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

"Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. "Knew you had it in you!" I rolled my eyes.

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

After the clapping died down, the goblet turned a bright, blood red. The parchment shot up into the air and Dumbledore caught it. "Perseus Jackson." He smiled. Hermione shot me a look that more or less meant, 'we'll talk later'.

The goblet once more went red. But sparks were shooting out of it. Dumbledore held the parchment out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out -

"Harry Potter."

I stared in shock at the man in front of the room. After a while, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "C'mon Harry." He said without a smile.

I walked into the room to see Viktor Krum, Percy Jackson, and Fleur Delacour grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched-up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other two. Percy was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire. Fleur Delacour looked around. When I walked in, she threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Percy looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misunderstood what was happening. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Percy was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned.

"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young."

"Well...it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at me. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet...I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage....It's down in the rules, you're obliged...Harry will just have to do the best he -"

The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. I could hear the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door.

"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" said Madame Maxime, standing up to her full height.

"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "Is the host able to have a student of any age compete. Or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

He gave a short and nasty laugh.

"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave a young champion. It is most injust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"

"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.

Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at me, and I looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked CALMLY.

"No," I said. I was very aware of everybody watching me closely, looking to see if I was lying.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"No," I repeated.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.

"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

"Mr. Crouch...Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, "you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

Bagman whiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice.

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -"

"- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I didn't expect something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

"Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled a voice from near the door. "You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"

Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.

"Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."

I could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away; they had balled themselves into fists.

"Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody, "but...funny thing...I don't hear him saying a word..."

"Why should 'e complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"

"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.

An extremely tense silence followed these words. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man...what a thing to say!"

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.

"Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet..."

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that students 17 and older can compete!"

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is - though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously...."

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember..."

"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly. I wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to, but then realized "Mad-Eye" could hardly be Moody's real first name. Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction - Karkaroff's face was burning.

"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Harry has been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, he will do...."

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."

Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

"Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes...the first task..."

He moved forward into the firelight. Close up, he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told me, Percy, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard...very important....

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.

"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

"I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so," said Dumbledore.

But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. I could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

"Harry, Percy, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. "I am sure Gryffindor is waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

Harry glanced at Percy, who nodded, and they left together.

The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burned low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality.

"So," said Percy, with a slight smile. "We're gonna be competing against each other!"

"I s'pose," I shrugged. I really couldn't think of anything to say. The inside of my head seemed to be in complete disarray, as though my brain had been messed up.

"So...tell me..." said Percy as they reached the entrance hall, which was now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. "How did you get your name in?"

"I didn't," said Harry, staring up at him. "I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth."

"I believe you Harry." Percy gave me a small, sad smile

I than began to think about why someone put my name in the goblet. Was it to see me make a fool of myself? Well, they were likely to get their wish....

But to get me killed?

Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self? Couldn't someone have put my name in the goblet as a trick, a practical joke? Did anyone really want me dead?

I was able to answer that at once. Yes, someone wanted me dead, someone had wanted me dead ever since he had been a year old...Lord Voldemort. But how could Voldemort have made sure my name got into the Goblet of Fire? Voldemort was supposed to be far away, in some distant country, in hiding, alone...feeble and powerless....

Yet in that dream I had, just before he had awoken with my scar hurting, Voldemort had not been alone...he had been talking to Wormtail...plotting my murder....

"You alright Harry?" Percy asked me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I know it's going to be hard, but I know you can do it. You're brave enough to pass whatever obstacles are thrown our way."

"You think so? Well, thank you." I gave him a genuine smile. At least he didn't think I was lying.

When we entered the Common Room, Fred and George jumped out yelling, "Surprise!" They had thrown a party to celebrate us being chosen. Everyone was coming up to me and congratulating me as well as Percy.

"How'd you get your name in?" Ron asked, pulling me aside along with Hermione.

"I swear I didn't!" I yelled.

"Sure." Ron grunted, crossed his arms, then walked upstairs.

"I believe you Harry." Hermione said sympathetically.

"Moody believes someone put my name in to try and get me killed." I told her what had happened in the room.

"Harry, maybe Percy or one of the Americans did it."

I shook my head. "'Mione you said that they couldn't write their own names, how would they write mine? Plus, Percy seemed as shocked as I was."

"He said he was going to be chosen, and he was. Isn't that at all strange?" She argued.

"Yes it is strange, but who says Krum didn't say he was going to be chosen as well?" I retorted.

She sighed. "I say we get the invisibility cloak and follow them around this weekend. Just for a precaution."

Knowing how stubborn she could be, I nodded. "Fine, but I'm going to bed." I went upstairs and passed out once my head hit the pillow.

-Percy Pov-

I managed to sneak out of the party, and go up to the dorms. There, Annabeth, Nico, Jason, and Frank were waiting.

"I think I should Iris Message Chiron. This can't wait." After getting several nods, I went to the fountain and grabbed a drachma.

"Hey Fleecy, do you mind putting me through to Chiron at Camp Half-Blood?"

The rainbow shimmered and there was my mentor.

"Hey Chiron!" Annabeth whispered yelled. Said centaur turned around.

"Is there something wrong?" I guess he wanted to get straight to the point.

"Yeah. Harry Potter got picked for the tournament. Dumbledore and Harry don't know who put it in. The judges decided to let him compete." I then told them what had happened.

"I see." Chiron's tail flicked around nervously. "You said this 'Moody' person sounded like he knew what he was talking about?" I nodded my head. "For now, I say to try and protect Harry and to keep an eye on that man. Something seems suspicious."

"We will. If anything comes up, we'll contact you." Annabeth said. After saying goodnight, the image disappeared. 

"Do you think I could use Riptide, if I need it?" I finally asked to break the silence.

"I think you'd have to make a big deal about summoning one, then pull it out of your pocket." Annabeth suggested.

"If you find out what the first obstacle is, tell us so we can formulate a plan." Frank stated.

"We don't have to worry about it for a while. For now we should concentrate on finding out Moody's intentions and who put Harry's name in the goblet." Was Jason's reply. Everybody once again nodded their heads.

"Do you guys mind if I IM Will? I haven't had the chance to today." Nico said, not looking at any of us.

"Sure, we'll go downstairs and tell the rest what's up." I grabbed Annabeth's hand, and pulled her downstairs with Jason and Frank right behind.

-Hermione Pov-

It was finally Saturday. Ron was still angry with Harry, so he stayed inside. Harry threw the invisibility cloak over himself and then me. We walked outside to where Annabeth was chatting with Piper. Percy threw off his shirt and dived into the lake. Nothing too odd so far. We walked towards the two Americans, making sure to be as silent as possible.

"I know, he's such a Seaweed Brain." Annabeth laughed.

"He's probably going to stay down there forever and make friends with the Giant Squid." Piper replied.

"Probably. Hey Piper, I got some gum stuck and my shoe, but I can't see it." Annabeth said out of nowhere.

"Yeah? Well did you hear about the new line of makeup back home? I think I have to buy all the new products and try them on you!" Piper laughed, throwing what looked like a stick in the water.

"After we go shopping, I heard they have a whole new line of winter clothes!" Annabeth giggled.

Then, Percy walked out of the lake perfectly dry, holding Piper's stick. "I think you dropped this." Piper then took it back.

"Percy! I see you have mastered the Impervius charm. I don't see a single drop of water on you." Annabeth praised.

"Yeah, have you mastered any spells?" He asked.

"Actually I have!" She pulled out her wand and looked straight at us. "Expelliarmus!" Our wands shot out of our hands into hers. Harry took off the cloak.

"I knew I sensed somebody, but I couldn't tell from where." Piper admitted.

"How did you-" Harry began.

"At first, I thought you were just walking around, but after staying there, I knew something was up. I'm a powerful witch, and I can see through invisibility cloaks, so can Percy." Percy gave a thumbs up. "I'm sorry, but we don't have any clues for the tournament. You can just ask, instead of hiding, okay? If we figure anything out we'll tell you." She gave a sweet smile and gave us our wands back.

As we were walking away, I looked back. Percy dived back into the lake while the two girls kept talking.

"Isn't that weird Harry? That they can see through invisibility cloaks?" I questioned.

"Dumbledore can see through it." Harry tried to reason.

"But she was able to take our wands!" I countered.

"She did give them back, and offered us any information they might come across. Sure they are weird, but they are good people Hermione." We had a stare down.

"Alright." I sighed. I was still highly suspicious of them, but it was obvious Harry didn't want to hear anymore. So we headed upstairs and started on our homework.

\-------

A/N I tore something in my right hand. I'm right handed, and I start school next week. So I'm probably going to update once a week. Any questions/reviews/comments are welcomed! Any povs you'd like to see?

QotD:  
Are you an introvert person or extrovert person?

Answer:  
I'm introvert.


	5. (ง'̀-'́)ง

-Harry Pov-

Ever since the Slytherins made the 'Potter Stinks' badges, my life has been miserable. Thankfully, Hermione and the Americans have been backing me up. Pansy Parkinson made a comment about how I wasn't supposed to be a champion. How I'm not good enough, blah, blah, blah. I didn't mind it, since I was already use to the taunting, but she ended up with a black eye from Annabeth. Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrow and walked away, which I was grateful for. I didn't want her to get in any trouble because of me.

When Rita Skeeter published her article for the Dailey Prophet, my life didn't improve any. However, whenever the Americans were around, everyone backed off. Usually it was Percy and Nico hanging out with me. Annabeth and Piper were usually with Hermione, which she was grateful for. I didn't blame her. She needed some girl friends to confide in and talk about girl stuff. The other Americans either did their own thing or hung with us. I found that I was actually very happy about this, despite being a champion and the bullying from my peers.

Hagrid had asked me to meet him at his hut with my invisibility cloak. Hermione had warned me not to because I might miss my meeting with Sirius, but curiosity got the best of me. On my way to Hagrid's hut, I heard what sounded like crying. I followed the sound, and was lead straight to Percy. He was laying on his back, with his hand on his forehead. As I was approaching, he quickly whipped his tears away. I stopped a couple of feet away from him, so he could gather himself before speaking.

"Hey Harry." Percy got up and stretched. "Watcha doin up?"

"Hagrid asked me to meet him, but I saw you and got sidetracked.."

"Ya? Sorry. I just needed fresh air. Want me to accompany you?" He asked.

I looked at him for a solid minute. Hagrid wouldn't know, right? "Yeah. But I need you to be under the cloak." I answered. Right now didn't feel like the time to ask him what was wrong. He probably needed a distraction.

"Sure thing bud." He came over to me and ducked underneath the invisibility cloak. He had to walk awkwardly so it covered him and myself since he was taller by a couple of inches.

We walked down the lawn towards Hagrid's hut. I knocked on the door.

"You there, Harry?" Hagrid whispered, poking his head through the door.

"Yeah." I replied. "What's up?" 

"Got sum thin ter show yeh," Hagrid said. He seemed excited. He had a flower in his buttonhole and tried to comb his hair. He walked to the Beauxbatons carriage and we followed. He knocked three times on the door.

"Ah, 'Agrid.. it is time?" Madame Maxime asked. Hagrid nodded, took her arm, and started walking. I looked over at Percy who seemed just as confused. We shrugged our shoulders and started to follow the two. After a while, we came to a halt around a clump of trees. I couldn't tell what I was supposed to be looking at, until the fire cleared.

Four fully grown dragons were shooting fire into the air, rearing their legs against the fences. The dragon keepers were doing their best to keep them at bay. It took all of them to yell 'Stupefy!' until one dragon fell backwards. After acknowledging this our first challenge, I nodded to Percy. He nodded back. We went back up to the common room. Thankfully it was empty, and I threw off the cloak. When I did, Sirius' head popped through the fire.

"Dude, that's cool." Percy commented, resting on a chair. Sirius looked at Percy, then at me.

"He's fine. How are you?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

After our rushed conversation, my head was spinning. There was an ex Death Eater here, who probably wanted to kill me and I had to face a dragon. Great. What else could go wrong?

-Percy Pov-

I went upstairs while Harry was still talking to his godfather. It was around 1 in the morning, so of course everyone was still awake. I cleared my throat.

"I know what the first challenge is." I announced dully.

"What is it?" Annabeth sat up.

"Dragons." I sighed. I'm pretty sure we jinxed it by laughing at the idea the other day.

"Dude that's totally my area!" Leo sprang up.

"They are real fire breathing dragons. Not machines. And I can't kill it." I walked over to Annabeth and held her hand.

"Don't worry!" Leo rubbed his hands together and a spark flew. "I can get Calypso to make you fireproof clothes. We can ask Chiron for advise."

"Good thinking Leo!" Piper gave him a smile. "You get Percy's measurements and send Neptune with a letter."

"Alright!" He was searching around in his tool belt for measuring tape. I IM'ed Chiron.

"Ah, Percy my boy." He smiled. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

"He has to steal an egg from a dragon." Nico sat down next to Jason while Leo was still measuring me.

"Dragons? I'm guessing you can't kill it?" He started trotting in a circle. "What's your plan?"

"Leo said he's gonna write Calypso so she can make me fireproof clothes. That's it." I sighed heavily again.

"I'll ask her to send ambrosia and nector. I suggest you find some spells. Jason can, ah, lift the winds if he needs to. Nico can use the shadows if it seems like you are in trouble. Annabeth can come up with a plan. Piper can charmspeak the dragon to not kill you. Frank can keep an eye from above. If any spells absolutely fail, use your powers. Hazel can control the Mist to make it less suspicious." Chiron concluded.

"Thank you Chiron." I breathed in a sigh of relief. "I'm sure 'Beth will come up with a plan."

"Goodnight heroes, and good luck." He waved goodbye while we sat there.

"Come on, let's go to bed. We can talk about this later." Piper suggested. We all agreed and fell asleep.

/Time Skip to Challenge/

I got the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout dragon. And of course, I had to go first. Harry got the Hungarian Horntail, and he was to go last. The whistle blew, signaling for me to go.

"Good luck." Harry gave me a smile.

"I need it. And I wish you the best, Harry." With that, I walked to the area. I waited in the alcove while the judges were doing introductions. 

'Athena, please help me. Lend me some wisdom. Hecate, give me some magical powers. And Dad, don't let me die.'

I walked out to see a dragon pacing around his eggs. He was about 10 feet long and was chained to the wall.

"Yo dragon!" The dragon turned around and stared at me. I took a deep breath and got my bearings. "Conjunctivitis! [1]." The dragon stumbled around, blindly. It looked in my general direction and roared. "Langlock! [2]." The dragon, trying to spew flames, stumbled around blindly and it seemed pretty angry. I looked into the stands and saw Annabeth hold up my pen. "Accio Riptide!" My pen flew into my hand and I uncapped it. 3 feet of Celestial Bronze sprang to life in my hand. The dragon turned, sensing the metal. Then it started to charge. "Impedimenta! [3]." It slowed down and I charged. I jumped onto the dragon, and slashed it's chain.

Yeah, it was stupid, but it was part of the plan. Get the dragon in the air, get down and grab the egg, and leave. But of course, things didn't want to work out that way.

We flew up into the air, the dragon trying to shake me off. I jumped off, still grabbing the chain. Jason slowed my fall, and I landed gracefully. (No pun intended.) It may have looked like I was flying the dragon as a kite. But I was trying to keep it in the air. When I was about to grab the egg, everything went wrong. The spells wore off. The dragon got it's bearings back and slammed me into the wall. He dived down, trying to swipe at me. I parried it's claws with my sword. I grabbed a piece of ambrosia from my pocket and ate it. Immediately I felt better. The dragon faced my direction, opened it's mouth, and flames went my way. I put my head inside my shirt, and pulled out my wand.

"Aguamenti! [4]." Steam surrounded us, signaling Hazel to use the Mist. I used the spell once again and used my powers to increase the water. The dragon tried to throw more flames my way, but I doused him. I had him pinned down while I grabbed the golden egg. I ran up the dragon's tail and stood up on it's back. He roared, but he was my bitch now. I pulled on the chain and we went up in the air doing victory laps.

I came down and was ushered into the tent again. The nurse lady came up to me.

"Are you okay Mr. Jackson?" She asked, looking around for any injuries. Of course, I didn't have any.

"I'm fine, thank you ma'am." I smiled sweetly.

"You have no bruises or scrapes. I'm impressed." She then pushed me out to the arena to get my score.

I stood there waiting until Madame Maxime raised her wand in the air. A long silver line shot in the air and a 9 was visible.

Mr. Crouch came next. He also shot a number nine into the air.

Next was Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever.

Ludo Bagman - ten. He gave me a thumbs up and clapped, obviously impressed.

And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and a 5 shot out of it. I shrugged and waved at the crowd.

I went to the stands and was met with pats on the shoulder and applauses. I finally was able to make my way to my friends.

"Not bad Seaweed Brain." Annabeth laughed, but obviously looked relieved.

"Yeah, well I had help. Thanks Jason for cushioning my fall, Leo for getting me these close, Annabeth for my sword, and Hazel for the Mist!" I laughed and we group hugged. "What did they see anyways?"

Hazel thought about it. "They saw you fight the dragon with your sword. You had managed to make it fall, grab the egg, and flew around." 

"I would have died if I tried that." Nico gave me a lopsided grin.

"Thank Zeus I wasn't shot out of the sky." I looked up and thought, 'Thanks guys. For dinner, you're getting good sacrifices.'

I then proceeded to watch the rest of the champions face their dragon. When Harry came out, I was on the edge of my seat. He summoned a broomstick? He then sat on it and started to fly. Cheers went up all around.

"You think you'd try that?" I smirked at Jason.

"Dude I so would. That looks awesome!" He chuckled and we watched in awe as Harry managed to snatch the egg.

-Hermione Pov-

After Harry beat his dragon, I got up and went over to the tent. Ron followed closely behind.

"Harry, you were brilliant!" I said, amazement laced in my voice. "You were amazing! You really were!"

But Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost.

"Harry," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet - I - I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

It was as though the last few weeks had never happened - as though Harry were meeting Ron for the first time, right after he'd been made champion.

"Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."

I stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. 

"It's okay," Harry said, before Ron could get the words out. "Forget it."

"No," said Ron, "I shouldn't've -"

"Forget it." Harry said.

Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back.

I burst into tears of joy.

"There's nothing to cry about!" Harry told me, bewildered.

"You two are so stupid!" I shouted, stamping my foot on the ground, tears splashing down my face. Then, I pulled them into a tight hug.

"Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head. "Harry, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores...."

Harry picked up his golden egg and his Firebolt, and ducked out of the tent, Ron by his side, talking fast.

"You were the best, you know, no competition. Percy was shooting spells at it, and it was working until he got slammed into a wall. He summoned a wicked cool sword and started to fight it! After he took the egg, he started to fly it! Can you believe that?! And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance - well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire - she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand. And Krum - you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying! He hit his dragon with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs - they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them." Ron explained to Harry.

I kind of tuned out and thought about Percy's fight. I've never seen a sword like that before. It almost looked gold. Almost. Was he suicidal? How in the bloody hell did he ride a dragon? He also fell from a pretty tall height. How did he survive that? Everyday Percy Jackson and his friends just got more and more suspicious.

When we entered the Gryffindor common room, it exploded with cheers and yells. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Percy flying the Short-Snout.

"Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed.

Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open.

The moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. 

"Shut it!" Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears.

"What was that?" said Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee...Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"

"I don't know." He shrugged, looking at the egg with a mix of confusion and horror.

After partying a while longer, I finally went upstairs and fell asleep.

After classes, I went to the library looking for books on swords to see if I could find the one Percy was using. I grabbed a couple of books and sat down at a table. After finishing the first book without finding anything useful, someone cleared their throat. Someone I least expected- Viktor Krum.

"Hi Hermione." He said slowly, trying to get my name right. "I vas vondering if you'd go to ze ball wif me?" 

I blushed, completely at a lost for words. "Yeah, I'd love to!" I said quietly.

"Allzright. I'll ze you there." He said awkwardly then walked away, leaving my mind reeling. Oh God. What am I going to where? Should I attempt to look good? Who could I ask for help? Maybe Ginny could help. I only had a week though..

I got up and left my books unread, seeking for the youngest Weasley to help with my delima. 

\---------

1- 'Conjunctivitis' is a curse that damages an  opponent's eyesight.

2- 'Langlock' is a spell that glues an opponent's tongue to the roof of their mouth.

3- 'Impedimenta' is a charm that slows an advancing object.

4- 'Aguamenti' is a charm that shoots water from the wand.

A/N Not sure if I lived up to your expectations on Percy facing the dragon. Fight scenes aren't my strong point. This chapter is pretty short compared to the other ones, but my hand is messed up. Should heal within the month. School is starting next week for me and I'm taking AP and honor classes. School is my first priority, so I'll be focusing on that. I won't abonded this story. I'll try to upload as often as I can, maybe once a week. Any corrections, questions, or comments are always welcomed.

QotD:  
Would you rather be a main character in a movie or in a book?

Answer:  
Book because you would be able to feel my emotions and read my thoughts and picture me any way you want. Movies seem more close minded in my opinion.


	6. ( ≧Д≦)

Read the A/N at the end please.

\----------

-Harry Pov-

It was another boring day in Professor McGonagall's class. I was about to head out when she called out, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Jackson. Please stay behind." We nodded our heads. I thought it was for not paying attention in class, so I slowly made my way to her desk with Percy by my side.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Jackson, the champions and their partners -"

"What partners?" I asked.

Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at me, as though she thought I was trying to be funny.

"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners."

Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel.

"Dance partners?" I felt myself going red. 

"I don't dance," Percy and I said quickly.

"Oh yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball."

I saw myself in a top hat and tails, accompanied by a girl in the sort of frilly dress Aunt Petunia always wore to Uncle Vernon's work parties. I shook my head, this wasn't helpful.

"I'm not dancing," Percy said.

"It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You both are Hogwarts champions, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter. I'm pretty sure Jackson already has one." I glanced at Percy who had a smirk on his face.

"But - I don't -" I tried.

"You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way.

A week ago I would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch compared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail. But now that I had done the latter, and was facing the prospect of asking a girl to the ball, I thought I'd rather have another round with the dragon. At least Percy had a girlfriend, so he'd save himself the embarrassment of asking around for a date.

\-----

I had never paid attention to who stayed for Christmas, but a lot of people put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas this year. I always did, of course, because the alternative was usually going back to Privet Drive, but I had always been very much in the minority before now. This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to be obsessed with the coming ball - or at least all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; I had never quite noticed that before. Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night....

"Why do they have to move in packs?" I asked Ron as a dozen or so girls walked past us, sniggering and staring at me. "How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?"

"Lasso one?" Ron suggested. "Got any idea who you're going to try?"

I didn't answer. I knew perfectly well whom I'd like to ask, but working up the nerve was something else....Cho was a year older than I was; she was very pretty; she was a very good Quidditch player, and she was also very popular.

Ron seemed to know what was going on inside my head, even if he is a bit oblivious in this area.

"Listen, you're not going to have any trouble. You're a champion. You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you." He smiled, though I could tell he was a bit jealous.

He was right, though. A couple of third years asked me to go with them. I kindly turned them down, although I felt bad. Me, Ron, Hermione, and Percy were walking to our common room in a comfortable silence. We almost reached the door when I saw Cho walking down the corridor.

"I'll be right back." I told my friends. Now or never, I chanted.

"Hey Cho." I gave her a smile.

"Hey Harry." She gave me a warm smile, and I felt my cheeks growing warm.

"Do you have a partner for the Yule Ball?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"Actually, not yet. I think Cedric was going to ask me tomorrow. Why?" She twirled her hair with her fingers.

"W-well I was wondering if you know, maybe, you'd want to go with me? I-I mean if you'd prefer to go with Cedric, that's okay. But I mean I-" I was cut off by Cho laughing.

"Of course! I've got to get going, I'll see you tomorrow." She gave me a slightly awkward hug and ran off towards her common room.

"Did you manage to score?" Ron looked up when I opened the door.

"Yeah." I smiled sheepishly.

"Nice one mate! I still need somebody to go with. 'Mione said she's already going with someone, but she won't say who. I reckon she doesn't wanna go with me." Ron slouched in his chair.

"Maybe she doesn't wanna get made fun of Ron." Annabeth came over from across the room holding Percy's hand.

Ron's face went red, and he walked over to his brothers.

"Hey Harry, I've been meaning to ask you something. Did you figure out the clue?" I had totally forgotten about the clue. Thankfully Percy reminded me.

"I know how to open the egg without going deaf. You gotta go underwater with it." Percy gave me a thumbs up. "I was in the lake and I accidentally dropped it inside. I think we have to find something that's gonna be taken from us. I'm not sure, you'd have to ask Hermione for help." He winked then strolled away with Annabeth's head on his shoulder.

I didn't think about putting the egg underwater. Would that really work? I trusted Percy, so I'd look into it later. Right now, I got to find some dress robes.

/At the Yule Ball/

I held onto Cho's hand. She looked stunning. She had her hair down and was wearing a beautiful dress. However, when Annabeth and Percy walked into view, everyone caught their breathe.

Percy looked like a god. His sea green eyes shone brightly and looked like they were swirling. His jaw was defined and his cheek bones were prominent. His smile looked carefree, as if he had just had the happiest day of his life. He wore a dark blue green suit, that almost looked black. He wore a dark, rich people toga. Yes, I do know what a toga is.

Annabeth also looked like a goddess, no offense to anybody else. Her grey eyes looked calm like mist over the ocean on a calm day. They reflected the light, making them pop. Her cheekbones were more pronounced than Percy's and she had some makeup up. Not too much to look flashy. She had an elegant dress that swept the floor, in a light grey. Her hair was held up in an owl pin. She also looked ecstatic to be here.

"They look amazing." Cho whispered in my ear. I nodded my head.

"What's up Harry?" Percy asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Not much. You guys look great." He gave me a lopsided grin.

"It was a gift from Piper's mom. You two don't look bad either." Percy smirked at my red face and I merely nodded.

"Alright, champions line up!" McGonagall called. We walked over and made two lines. I looked to see who Krum's partner was and gasped.

"Hermione?" I whispered yelled in shock. She turned around and gave me a shy wave then turned back around. I didn't even recognize her. I guess if people wanted to clean up, they could clean up good.

We entered the Great Hall and music started to play. I stumbled a few times, but Cho laughed and continued to dance. I was nervous about this ball, but I can admit it was more fun than I care to say.

-Percy Pov-

The ball was brilliant. On Christmas morning, we all received dress robes from Aphrodite. The actual Yule Ball was fantastic. The only reason I knew how to dance was because of the parties on Mount Olympus.

A couple of days later, we had Care of Magical Creatures. I'm not sure where Hagrid went, but he was replaced by a lady named Mrs. Grubbly-Plank. She had brought unicorns. When I saw them, they bowed. Everyone stared at me.

"Uh, you don't have to bow." I said out loud. They stood up.

'Hello, Lord Percy. It's me, Spencer' The first one came to me. I remembered her from my first visit to Camp Jupiter.

'Lord, it's an honor. My name is Crowley.' This one I didn't recognize.

'Perseus, Perseus! Hi! My name is Amy!' Before I could respond, she ran up to me and bent down. Without thinking, I mounted and we were off in the air.

'I prefer Percy thank you, where we going?' I asked Amy.

'I just came up here so we can converse quickly without raising suspicion.'

'Okay, what is it you need to tell me?' We circled a tower where students looked out of the windows and pointed.

'For the second challenge, they will take Annabeth. The mermen won't harm anyone, and Dumbledore is going to cast a spell on them as well. I tell you this so you won't get angered.'

'Thank you. I probably would have been angry. You sure everyone is going to be safe?' 

'Yes Percy.' We landed back down on the ground and the class clapped.

"Well done Mr. Jackson! Unicorn's often are kind and majestic, but they do not like many people riding them." Mrs. Grubbly-Plank gave me a smile, awe in her eyes.

"Can anyone tell me what we can do with unicorns besides riding them?" The teacher asked, clearing her throat.

"If you drink their blood, you'll become strong. But it's bad luck." Harry answered shyly.

"Good, good. 10 points to Gryffindor. Any other?" She asked. Hazel raised her hand.

She went up to Crowley and started to pet his muzzle. "You can use unicorn shavings as a healing property."

"Quite interesting. These three, Sam, John, and Rose are friendly-" The unicorns stamped their feet. I sighed.

"The one in the right is named Spencer, the middle Crowley, and the one on the left is Amy." I spoke up for them.

"Why thank you. But how would you know..?" The teacher looked suspicious.

"His dad owns horses, and these three are familiar to us ma'am." Thank the gods for Annabeth.

"I see. Anything else?" Mrs. Grubbly-Plank's eyes were definitely sparkling.

"I do have pegasi." I smiled at the wizards reactions. I whistled like I was calling for a cab, and Blackjack flew towards me from the Forest. "This is my personal pegasus, and friend, Blackjack." 

'Sup boss. Got Sugar cubes?'

'No. Here's your chance to show off though.' I replied in my head. Blackjack then opened his wings, held his head high, and trotted around.

'What a show off.' Crowley laughed, if unicorns laughed?

After class was over, we headed in for dinner. I sat next to Harry, Hermione and Annabeth across from us.

"You were so good with the animals today Percy. It was almost as if you could talk to them." Hermione said with a smile. I nearly spit out my drink.

"I grew up with them, yanno? Sometimes I feel like they can read my mind and it's almost like we talk to each other telepathically." I laughed and so did the demigods in earshot.

"Since you know them so well, you think I could ride your Pegasus? He's so gorgeous and I've never been too fond of flying, but he's so majestic." She managed quickly. She looked at me with something like hope.

"Sure, he likes to show off whenever he has the chance." I gave her a grin. For a second, I thought she was onto us, but I quickly got that thought out of my head. We continued with small talk until it was time for bed.

/Time Skip to second challenge./

We were waiting for Harry to show up. He was running a little late, and my anxiety and ADHD were on overdrive. Everyone has reassured me that Annabeth was fine, but that didn't stop me. I wanted to jump in, take her out, and kiss her until I was sure she was alright.

"Ah, Harry there you are." Mr. Crouch said. Harry ran and stopped next to me. He seemed to be a little out of breathe.

"You have one hour to complete this task. Ready.. set.. go!" Dumbledore shouted. Without a spare second I jumped in. As if feeling my needs, the water pushed me in the direction of Annabeth. I went as fast as I could. I pulled out Riptide, cut her bonds, and swam up. I jumped onto the deck and checked her pulse. She was fine, of course she was. She started to stir, and I kissed her until she was able to push me away.

"Thank the gods, Wise Girl." I gave her a shit eating grin.

"You knew I'd be fine, Seaweed Brain." I wrapped her in a towel and held on tightly. Now, I was relaxed. I looked over at the judges and they were staring at me in awe and confusion. After a while, Viktor Krum came out with Hermione.

"Where's Harry?" I tried to sound casual, but I was nervous.

"The mermen are giving him a hard time." He shrugged. 

"They are what?" I yelled. The water rose 10 feet and dropped down after a second. I heard Hermione gasp, but I jumped back in. The water brought me once again to where the people were tied up. I could see the mermen trying to get Harry.

"Enough!" I yelled. The water stilled and the creatures turned to look at me with wide eyes. "I am Perseus Jackson, and you will obey me. Leave Harry at once." They swam as fast as they could away.

"Harry, you okay?" He looked at me with wide eyes and nodded. 

"I'll help you with Cho and the girl. I don't think Fleur will be coming." He once again nodded.

I pulled Riptide out and cut the bonds. When we were swimming up, Harry was getting behind. I stopped and waited for him to catch up, but he was falling further. Whatever spell he put on himself wore off. I made air bubbles around the three heads. I pulled the water out of Harry's lungs and forced the water to bring him to me. I put Riptide in my pocket and made sure the blonde girl had her arms around my neck. I grabbed Cho and slumped her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I put Harry in my arms, bridal style. Very manly, I know. I pushed up and shot up onto the port where everyone was waiting. People gasped.

"I got 'em." I shouted, though that was clear as day.

I set Harry down, balancing the other people on me. Then I put Cho next to him. The blonde girl next to Cho. Getting over their shock, the medics and judges came over.

"Good job Percy. Knew you'd save em." Nico, as well as basically everyone else, looked relieved.

"It was nothing." I waved it off and sat next to Annabeth.

"What'd you do down there? Thought you'd be a bit faster Seaweed Brain." She looked almost scared.

"Faster? He took about five minutes to bring three people and himself above surface." Hermione looked shocked and gave us looks as if we were aliens.

"I would have but I had to ward off the mermen. Then, Harry's magic wore off. So I had to cast a spell to keep them breathing." I explained vaguely to satisfy Hermione's questions.

Harry came over. "Dude, you were awesome. You saved my life!" He stook his arm out. I shook it and pulled him towards me. I ruffled his hair, like I do to Nico's.

"He saved Harry Potter!" 

"He was fast!"

"Look he's perfectly dry!"

More and more whispers continued throughout the crowd of people.

"Silence!" Dumbledore's voice boomed through the crowd, although I could tell he was obviously amused.

"Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows.... Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

Fleur mumbled something about how she didn't deserve any, but took the points anyways.

"Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points." The crowd cheered.

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned with not only his own hostage, but another. However, the gillyweed wore off. Percy Jackson jumped back in willingly, using his own magic. He didn't only come first, but he came within the first five minutes of the task. We award Perseus 50 points and Harry 45." 

I looked at Harry in disbelief. He returned the expression. Everyone cheered, even the Slytherins, and we were picked up by the Gryffindors. I high-fived Harry and we were carried all the way to the common room. Everyone rushed towards us and congratulated us on our good work. The attention made both myself and Harry nervous, so we slipped up to Harry's dorm.

"You were bloody amazing Percy." Harry sighed. He was still damp, but he looked beyond happy.

"Fighting mermen underwater and trying to save people? I think you're a hero Harry." And I meant it. Sure, I went back in. But it was only for Harry at first. He arrived after I did, and waited until the hostages were safe.

"Thanks Percy." He blushed and looked away.

"I mean it Harry. I'm glad I'm your friend." He gave me a toothy grin.

"You aren't bad yourself. Thank you for saving me and my friends." We sat in comfortable silence, once in a while talking about mundane things. When people started to come in, I got up and headed towards the door.

"You know what Harry? Welcome to the family. You're my brother, blood or no blood." I walked upstairs and sat on my bed.

"Harry is now my brother. Get it? Got it? Good." With that, I fell asleep feeling good.

-Hermione Pov-

After Viktor got me out of the water, I felt nauseous. I heard Percy ask him something, the water raising in the air, then him jumping in. I regained myself and sat next to Annabeth.

"You look rather dry." I commented. She nodded her head, obviously distracted. "Why'd Percy jump back in?"

She looked at me with a nervous expression. "Harry might be in a bit trouble." She whispered.

"When isn't he?" I laughed. I picked up on her nervous energy and I started to fidget. "How long did it take Percy to get you?" 

"Around 5 minutes." She was twirling her wand on the floor. 5 minutes? That must have been a record or something. I wonder what spells he used? Would it be something I know or is it only taught in America? Questions were swimming through my head.

Percy shot out of the water and he was carrying three people. Harry, Cho, and Fleur's little sister.

"Thank the gods." Annabeth replied. I was about to get up and rush over to Harry when she put an arm on me. "Give him a minute. He'll be fine." I nodded in agreement and awaited my best friend to wake. When he did, he looked shocked and took a look around. He looked at Percy, then went over to talk to him.

"Harry doesn't even seemed passed about almost dying." I chucked at his very typical reaction to almost drowning.

\------

The next day, we had potions.

"If it isn't the two heroes." Professor Snape drawled, amusement in his eyes. "Good job on not getting yourselves killed. Although I doubt Mr. Jackson would have died." He said as if it were an inside joke. Annabeth rolled her eyes and Percy smirked. Nico tried to stifle a laugh, but that went unnoticed by the professor.

"Today we'll be making.." After I finished my potion, I looked over to see Percy and Leo. Their potion was finished too. 

"Hey, Hermione." Nico whispered from behind me. "I was wondering if our potion looks good? This Air Head kept messing around." He pointed at Jason who had a grin plastered on his face.

"Yeah. It's fine." I turned back around and noticed something odd. On the floor was a little skeletal rat. I tapped Annabeth's shoulder and pointed at it. In response, she rolled her eyes and shrugged. I saw Hazel try to make it go away, but it crawled up her arm. Instead of screaming, like a normal person, she showed Frank. He laughed. He grabbed it and threw it at Malfoy. Malfoy caught it, sneered, and threw it in Neville's direction. This time for sure, I thought he'd scream. Instead he turned around, winked, and threw it across the room to Leo. Leo put it on fire with his wand, and threw it directly at Professor Snape.

"Of course Leo would do that." Nico whispered to Jason.

Professor Snape looked up and picked up the flaming rat by it's tail. Screams echoed throughout the dungeons.

"Silence." Professor Snape's rich voice commanded, surprisingly without malice.

"Nico, make it run around." Jason whispered to his partner. I didn't dare take my eyes off of the decaying animal. 

It jumped out of Professor Snape's hand and ran on the table, still on fire. How it stayed on, I had no clue. It jumped from table to table and landed on mine. I held in a yell. I could see it's bones that looked broken and barely kept together. The skin was a translucent grey and it was flaking. I panicked and hit it back to Professor Snape. He snapped his fingers and it was gone.

"Mr. Di Angelo, please refrain from scaring my students. Mr. Valdez, don't encourage him. 20 points to Gryffindor, however, as it put on a good show." Professor Snape smiled, an actual small smile, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Did professor Snape actually feel happiness? When I looked back up, Snape was grading papers as if nothing had happened.

"Nico, if you were gonna disturb my reading, you should have done better. You know your brother would simply love to try to outshine you." Annabeth rolled her eyes for the hundredth time and went back to reading a book.

"Severus is a show off, eh? Maybe if I..." Then he slipped of to another language. I still couldn't figure out what it was. He had asked a question and Percy replied with an answer.

"You think he'd do it? Well I wouldn't mind seeing your ass whooped by you're older brother, Nico." Jason said, switching back to English.

"I could beat that old man any day. Probably." Professor Snape was Nico's brother? Nico looked about 16, at most, and Professor Snape had to be in his 30's or something. Weird and gross.

"I'll take you up on that challenge." Professor Snape whispered. Man, everyone was such a loud whisperer. As if he knew I was listening, he switched into the language. I was so going to figure it out if it was the last thing I did.

"These potions look admirable. Granger, Chase, and McLean, Malfoy's potions are perfect. Jackson and Valdez come close in second. 20 points each, class dismissed. Americans please stay seated." And with that, potions was over.

"Snape's class actually wasn't that bad today!" Ron exploded once we were out of earshot.

"Yeah. At the beginning I was expecting some sort of snide remark about how I want fame, etc. But, he was actually cool today." Harry smiled.

"If he keeps this up, I might actually like his class. It's a miracle!" Ron shouted and threw his arms around us.

"Annabeth said that he was Nico's brother. That couldn't be, right?" I asked when they calmed down.

"Are you sure you didn't hear wrong?" Harry rose his eyebrows in question.

"I don't think I did. They acted like they knew Professor Snape. And he was talking in their language as well." I tried to get them to see reason.

"'Mione, they aren't aliens. There are hundreds of languages. Maybe he used to teach them a language or something. That's normal in muggle schools. I trust Percy with my life, as he obviously saved me, I think we can give 'em a break." I just looked at him as we continued walking.

"Speaking of Percy, he was amazing wasn't he? He made the water go really high when he heard you were in danger Harry. Must have been powerful wandless magic." Ron then made the story more dramatic than it was.

"Did you see him cast any spells on himself when he went in?" I could feel like I was getting a bit closer to who he was..

"Probably the wandless magic Hermione. Let's go to the common room." Harry suggested.

"I think I'm going to go to the library." I walked off towards the library. First things first. I had to figure out what language they spoke. I got enough bits and pieces to look it up.

15 minutes later I finally found it. "Ancient Greek?" I asked myself. Why would anybody want to learn Greek? Much less speak it? Unless that was the whole point. For no one to understand it.

I looked at the time. Dinner would be starting in half an hour. I checked out the book and made my way to the Great Hall. I was early, so I read while Harry and Ron came. I usually learn things quickly, but a new language could take a while.

"Hey 'Mione, what chu reading?" Harry asked as he sat on my right, Ron on my left. 

"I figured out what language they speak! I'm trying to learn it." 

"Hermione, you do realize that you're crazy right?" Ron joked. I ignored him and continued on.

-Nico Pov-

"So you want to duel?" Severus rose his eyebrows up.

"Yeah, it'd be an interesting experience." I said looking at his face.

"I'm guessing you all want to take me on?" Severus drawled. Cocky, check. Big head, check.

"Just me and Nico. Unless Jason wants to." Percy faced Jason. 

"I think I'll spare with Annabeth." He said, fixing his glasses.

"Want to go right now?" I asked. "Or do you need a nap first?" I smirked. Severus had a playful smile on his face.

"Joke now, but we'll see who's laughing when we're done." His smile made me shiver, which was odd. But I enjoyed it. Adrenaline ran through my body.

"Let's shadow travel to the Room of Requirements." I stated. We joined hands and was met with the training arena. Everyone gathered around me, Percy, and Severus.

"Can you handle both of us at once, or will you need one at a time?" Percy cocked an eyebrow and laughed.

Severus threw his robes off to the side and pulled out a double-edged sword. Half was Stygian Iron, like mine, and the other hand was steel. Probably for killing the wizards. "Come."

We both attacked. Severus was defending. I led the attack while Percy tried to go behind. I summoned a couple of skeletons, but Severus sent them back.

"They don't like to pick sides between us. This is going to be based on pure skill." Severus dodged my strike and aimed for Percy's sword arm. Percy dropped his sword and backed away momentarily. I took this to my advantage and faked going left, but was able to make a shallow gash on the right.

"Expellirmus!" Percy shouted. Severus's sword flew out of his hand. Percy had Riptide back in his hand and pointed it towards Severus. I took this chance and rolled in front of my brother. I pointed my sword under his chin.

"Dead." I said, breathing heavily.

"If you told me we could use our wands, the outcome would have been different. Regardless, I am impressed on your sword skills." Severus praised. We continued to spar for another hour or so. My brother would either watch or help us improve.  He tried to get Piper off balance, but she disarmed him and smiled in triumph. He looked impressed and he helped her out some more. All in all, today was a good training day.

I had a dream that night. Which usually isn't unusual, but Hecate had said we wouldn't dream anymore. I was in some kind of graveyard. Harry and Percy were sprawled on the floor, with a golden cup nearby. Then an old man came carrying some sort of baby. With horror, I realized that that was Voldemort. He killed Percy, and took Harry's blood. Then he became a person. People started to surround him and I realized that these were the Death Eaters. I saw Voldemort try to kill Harry, but I was shaken awake by Percy.

"We need to talk. Now." I grabbed his hand, I just woke up I was disoriented, and shadow traveled into an empty classroom.

"Nico, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned. I ran my fingers through my hair. I realized I was sweating slightly.

"I had a dream.." And I proceeded to explain what happened.

"What do you want me to do? If he uses the killing curse, there's no way I'm going to survive." He looked at me with pleading eyes.

"There is one thing we can do." I looked into his green eyes, they were swirling with confusion.

"I'll do it. Anything." 

"You need to dive back into the River Styx."

\------

A/N: Cliffhanger! Should Percy go back in the River Styx and take on the curse of Achilles? Or should he refuse his cousin and ask Chiron? 

Give me you ideas! Review, vote, comment. And my update days are probably going to be Wednesday and Saturday's!

QotD:  
What's your favorite amusement park?

Answer:  
I've been to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm countless times. But I have to admit Universal Studios is my favorite.


	7. ◉_◉

-Percy Pov-

"You need to dive back into the River Styx," Nico stated, looking at me with his dark, concerned eyes.

"If I retook the Curse of Achilles, will I be able to avoid all spells?" I asked calmly.

"They would most likely bounce off. If not, then the spells will completely avoid you. Even if a spell happens to hit, it won't have any effect unless it hits you in your Achilles Heel." I considered this. If I had to protect Harry and my friends from evil wizards, this would be the best choice of action.

"Do I need to get my mom's blessing again?" Oh gods, what would Mom say?

"No one has taken the curse twice, so I'm not sure. I would prefer to do it, just to be safe. And I promise I can sneak in the underworld without my father noticing this time." He said sheepishly, looking away.

"I need to ask Annabeth. We'll go today after breakfast." Nico nodded and we headed into the Great Hall.

"Annabeth, we need to talk." She looked up from her conversation with Hermione. She was probably gonna scold me for interrupting, but she saw the look on my face.

"Seaweed Brain?" She took my hand and sat me down. Nico sat next to me.

"Nico had a dream. Voldemort killed me and was brought back to life. He was about to kill Harry, but Nico woke up. The only way I can survive is dipping into the River Styx again." I explained quickly in Greek.

"Percy.." Annabeth pursed her lips, obviously thinking. "As reckless as this is, you should do it. You've done it before, so you know what to expect. We still don't know much about this world, so it's are safest option for the time being. If it gets problematic, we can go to New Rome and cross the Little Tiber. When are you guys going?" She rushed her words, also in Greek, aware of Hermione trying to listen to what we were talking about. 

"Thanks Wise Girl. We just have to go visit my mom, and get her blessing. Then I should hopefully survive." I gave her a kiss and Nico cleared his throat.

"Okay, we should go. Annabeth, update the others. I'm bringing Hazel with me to help with travel." Nico had a grim, but determined look on his face.

"Hazel!" I called in English. "We are going on a trip." She looked confused, but nodded anyways.

"Wait, where you going? You can't just leave!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air.

"It's urgent. I need to go visit my family." I gave her a 'drop it' look.

"Fine." Hermione huffed.

Me, Hazel, and Nico walked outside of the castle. On the way, Nico debriefed Hazel on what was going to happen.

"Okay, I think we get it. So we are going to New York first, right?" Hazel looked at her brother.

"Yeah, I'm going to lead. You follow and lend me strength." We held hands, and we ran through a tree. It was as dark as the House of Night. Voices were echoing around, pleading to be remembered. It felt like ghosts were trying to rip my skin off and use it as their own. Just as the feeling of despair was getting stronger, we stumbled through the wall into my kitchen.

"Hey mom." My mom was at the kitchen table, talking to my step-dad. When she heard my voice, she turned around with a happy expression, then a confused one.

"Hello Nico and Hazel. Hi Percy." My mom brought us into a group hug, and Paul gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"So, how's this quest of yours going?" Paul asked, after we were seated and snacking on brownies.

"It's going okay so far. Wizards are so weird and complicated. We even met another son of Hades!" I smiled and told them about what has happened. Of course I tried to keep the almost dying part out.

"It's good to see you boys and Hazel, but I don't think that's why you're here. What can I do?" My mom asked. Paul just stared at us, mumbling the word 'wizards?' every once in a while.

"Mrs. Jackson-" Hazel started.

"Sally, please."

"Sally." Hazel continued. "We need your blessing again. Percy needs to dive back into the River Styx."

"Wait. Didn't he already do that?" Paul asked, rubbing his chin.

"Yes he did. But when he went to New Rome the curse disappeared. We wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important." Nico had his hands in his lap and was playing with his ring.

"He's going to survive, right? Last time it was about 50/50, but he's gonna be fine this fine right?" I looked down at my half eaten brownie. Mom's voice cracked and I could tell she was holding in tears.

"No one has taken the curse twice, so we can't be too sure." Hazel look apologetic.

"After all he went through this last war.." That's when she started to cry. Paul placed his hand on her back and started to rub in circles. Kind of how Annabeth did when I was having a nightmare.

"You have my blessing Percy. Please stay safe and message as often as you can." I gave my mom one last hug, and grabbed some ambrosia.

"To the underworld we go." Nico whispered as we ran into my door.

"You know what to do. Hazel and I will stand guard. You can choose your old Achilles Heel since only Annabeth knows, or you can choose a new one. May the gods be with you, and don't die Kelp Head." Nico gave me a worried smiled. I smiled back and turned to look at the River Styx.

I concentrated on the small of my back-a tiny point just opposite my navel. It was well defended when I wore my armor, although I don't think I'll be wearing it much. It would be hard to hit by accident, and few enemies would aim for it on purpose. No place was perfect, but this was my last spot and seemed just fine to me.

I pictured a string, a bungee cord, connecting me to the world from the small of my back. And I stepped back into the river.

I submerged completely. It felt like I was suffocating. I felt like I was back in the River Cocytus, willing to give up and drown myself. Every nerve in my body burned. I was dissolving in the water. I saw faces like my mom, Annabeth, Paul, but they disappeared as fast as they appeared.

"Percy," my mom said shakily. "I give you my blessing."

"As long as we're together." Annabeth smiled.

I was losing the fight. The pain was too much. My hands and feet were melting into the water, my soul was being ripped from my body. I couldn't remember who I was. The pain of Kronos's scythe had been nothing compared to this, even Tartarus was an option to compare this to.

'The cord', a familiar voice said. 'Remember your lifeline, Percy!'

Suddenly there was a tug in my lower back. The current pulled at me, but it wasn't carrying me away anymore. I imagined the string in my back keeping me tied to the shore.

'Hold on, Seaweed Brain.' It was Annabeth's voice, much clearer now. 'We've been to hell and back, no way you're gonna die this way.'

The cord strengthened.

I could see Annabeth now-standing barefoot above me on the canoe lake pier. I'd fallen out of my canoe. That was it. She was reaching out her hand to haul me up, and she was trying not to laugh. She wore her orange camp T-shirt with my swim team sweater over it and jeans. 

'You are such an idiot sometimes.' She smiled. 'Come on. Take my hand.'

Memories came flooding back to me. I am Perseus Jackson, son of the Sea God. I was a Hero of Olympus and an awesome boyfriend to Annabeth. I had a job to do, and I was going to do it.

I jumped onto the shore of the river and I started to take big, deep breaths.

"Oh gods, Percy! Are you okay? You're bright red!" Hazel ran over to me and tried to feed me ambrosia. But before she was able to give me any, my skin turned back into its tanned color.

"I'm all good. Everything's fine." I assured both of my friends. "I just need to take a really long nap when we get back." I managed a smile and the children of the underworld laughed along.

"Hazel can you lead? After this, I'm taking a nap as well. I should have listen to what Will said. Oh gods, he's so going to scold me if he finds out I've been shadow traveling again." Nico went sightly pink and groaned. We just laughed.

"Okay brother. Let's go."

We stumbled just outside of the Great Hall. It appeared to be lunch time already, as many students were sitting around and eating.

"A quick lunch wouldn't hurt." I shrugged, and walked towards Annabeth. She was once again in a deep conversation with Hermione.

"Yo, Wise Girl." I said casually, wrapping my arm around her as I sat down.

"Percy! Oh thank gods you're alright! I thought you would have been here sooner and I was worried sick! Are you okay? I haven't told the others, I got distracted. Where did you put it? How's your mom? And Paul? I-" I cut her off with a kiss. She smiled and eased into it, then I pulled back after a couple of seconds.

"I'm okay. We'll hold a meeting later and tell them. Same spot as last time, so please watch my back." I winked and she laughed. "My mom's okay, I should probably message her and Paul."

Annabeth eased and slowly rose her hands to my face. "I'm so glad you're okay. Let's eat."

The food came and Leo lit his hands on fire under the table. 'To the gods. And thank you Styx and Hades.' My food went up in flames and I ate like there was no tomorrow.

The next day I awoke and headed downstairs for breakfast. Everything was going good until I saw Neptune with a red envelope.

"You've got a howler Percy!" Ron shouted with a mix of fear, confusion, and wonder.

'What's that?" I gave Neptune a piece of bacon and he settled on my head.

"Open it and find out." Harry smirked at me. I shrugged my shoulders and opened it.

"Perseus Jackson!" My name boomed throughout the Great Hall, the walls shaking slightly. "What have you done? No one gave you permission to dive into the Styx!" Zeus' loud voice bellowed in Greek.

"Good job to my kids for sneaking in without me noticing though. Even if it did help the Fish Brat." Hades said proudly. Nico and Hazel smiled and high-fived.

"Do you understand how powerful he is? He is the most invulnerable, but vulnerable person right now. He must be killed!" I guess this was what wizards did when they were pissed off at their children. Not the deciding to kill them part, but send mail that yells.

"Father, Perseus took the curse once, you didn't make a big deal about it then." Thank you Artemis!

"Enough!" Zeus switched into English now. "Perseus Ezekiel Jackson [1], we will summon you and talk about whether or not to kill you. That is final." The red envelope burst into flames, leaving 8 demigods white faced and about 200 wizards confused.

"I-I've got go." I got up, grabbed Annabeth's hand, and ran into a girl's bathroom. I didn't see where I was going, okay?

"Why's my dad mad at you Perce?" Jason asked. Everyone sat in a circle on the floor.

"I retook the Curse of Achilles." I then proceeded to explain how Nico had a dream and how I'd be okay now since I'm invulnerable.

"I'm guessing you won't tell us where the spot is for blackmail?" Leo cracked a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"Do you really think Lord Zeus will hold a trail against Percy?" Hazel looked mildly concerned.

"He does that every year. Don't worry about, it's not your fault. I asked for this. I can handle Zeus. I do believe the odds play into my favor." I gave them a smile.

"Just don't push your luck Percy." Piper sighed.

"Oh Pipes, when have I ever done such a thing?" I gave her a smirk and everyone laughed. 

"Dude, we have Potions first period. Let's get Severus' opinion on how we should continue." 

"Good thinking Frank. Let's go." Hazel took her boyfriend's hand and started to walk to the dungeons. We nodded and followed.

We arrived a couple of minutes early and were waiting for Severus to show up before the wizards, especially Hermione, started asking questions.

"Well well well." Draco turned a corner. "What did you do this time to anger Zeus? He wouldn't have sent a howler unless he was scared." He leaned on the wall, calculating eyes searching me.

"What do you think he did? Come on Draco, you're smart, figure it out." Annabeth locked her fingers with mine. Hermione, Ron, and Harry walked towards us and greeted us. After I said hi to them, I turned around to see if Draco figured it out or not. I'm pretty sure he did, since his face was stark white.

"Oh gods, you didn't!" Draco walked around me, determined to find out if it was true or not.

"Yup. I did it last time, but I think he let it slip since we were at war. Then He couldn't do anything about it after the first war because of the second one brewing." I thought aloud.

"Are you guys talking about the Howler? What did you do last time? What did the man mean when he said 'we will summon you and talk about whether or not to kill you'?" Ugh I should have spoken in Greek, nosy Hermione.

"My uncle, Jason's dad, is really, really mad at me. He likes to be over dramatic, I don't think he'll actually kill me. Just bring his usual Drama Queen self." I smirked. Hogwarts shook and lightning struck outside of the windows.

"Percy, do not anger Him further. We'll talk after class. Everyone inside now." The class walked inside and we started today's potion.

After class, all the demigods stayed. Severus waved his wand and the silencing charms went up.

"You took the Curse of Achilles, didn't you!" Neville exploded. "Dude that's so cool. Is that why Lord Zeus is angry with you?*

"Yeah." For the second time that day, I explained the dream and retaking the curse.

"In this dream, how did the Death Eaters appear?" Severus was pacing the room, deep in thought.

"The Voldemort guy pressed his wand into the guy who killed Percy's arm. The a couple at a time, people started to show up." Nico scrunched up his eyebrows, trying to remember correctly.

"Well fuck. This is bad." Draco said. He then explained how Severus joined the Dark Side, a mistake on his end. Ever since his friend died, Severus joined the Light Side trying to protect Harry.

"You're a wizard and a demigod. Can't you just get rid of the mark?" Leo asked.

"I could, but Voldemort would know. People know I'm alive and working for Hogwarts. He'll either track me down and kill me or send people to do it. I can't risk him knowing about us." Severus sighed, and massaged his temples. "Guess I need to play the double agent."

"Severus, are your sure that's wise? Well it does seem like the safest option. If you need any help, tell me and Annabeth. We'll help you." Draco looked concerned, and I don't blame him.

"Where's your weak spot Percy?" Severus said out of nowhere. I put my hands up and took a step back.

"I know we're on the same team and all, but Annabeth is the only person I trust it with."

"Yes, yes. Just, is it protected, or is it somewhere obvious? People usually aim for the lower back, the head, the heart, or the stomach. Is it near any of those locations?" Oh. That's why he was asking.

"Well.. I thought it was a good place to put it." I said vaguely.

"I could make you some armor that looks like regular clothes to the wizards. Leo would you care to assist me? I think you have his measurements down.. now let's see." Severus walked into his back room with Leo following behind. 

"He has a forge in their dude! Celestial Bronze, Imperial Gold, Stygian Iron, you name it! Don't you worry Aquaman, we'll have you a new set of clothes armor for you tomorrow." Leo walked back inside whooping.

"He's either going to make his own modifications to it, or he's going to build dangerous toys in there." Jason sighed.

"Probably both." Piper grinned.

"Do you know when the trial with Zeus is going to be held?" Neville asked as we walked back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Probably during the Summer Solstice. Or if he's as angry as I think he is, after school ends." I shrugged, trying to keep my mind off of it.

"Guys." Annabeth said once we were right outside the common room door. "I think Hermione is onto us."

"I mean she is smart, but I don't think so..." Neville said after a few seconds of tension.

"She asked me why we speak Greek. She wants to know why most of us have one parent that we rarely see. She wants to know why Zeus wants to kill Percy. She asked me what the Styx was. We need to tread carefully from now on." So that must have been what she and Hermione were talking about.

"I could charmspeak and tell her to forget it." Piper looked uneasy, as if she didn't want to.

"Or I could use the Mist and get her thinking off course." Hazel's eyes gleaned sightly, as if this would be a challenge she'd like to pass.

"If that fails, I could force her on the River Styx to not tell a single person, soul, or monster about it." Nico smiled.

"You guys can really do that! Awesome!" Neville smiled at us, and we walked in. We all sat in a corner coming up with ideas as to what the third task could be.

"You're not wizards." Hermione sat down across from me.

"Yes we are. Go away." Piper said in a panicky voice. But her panic made her charmspeak stronger. Hermione got up and walked away.

"Nice going, Piper." We chuckled at her flustered face.

Hermione came back and sat down once more.

"I'm not sure what you guy's are, but you're not wizards. Well you could be, but there's something else to you guys. Almost as if you aren't supposed to be here, but you are. The way you speak in Greek and how Professor Trelawney spoke some parts of a prophecy, I think. It had some impact on you to not return to the class. Then there was the thing with the Styx. I looked it up and it's a river in the underworld. I'm not sure what Jason's dad meant diving into it. Yes, I studied enough Greek to understand bits and pieces. You said you guys are half-bloods, and I read this thing about Greek Mythology.. but I don't want to believe it.."

We just stared at her with white faces. She figured it all out, by herself no doubt. I was actually feeling a bit proud and relieved that she knew. I glanced at Annabeth, asking her if this was her sister with my eyes. She shook her head.

"I think we better go upstairs." Nico said. We grabbed Hermione, and headed up to our floor.

-Hermiome Pov-

They lead me upstairs to their room, put a locking charm on the door, and silenced the room. I may have been a bit worried. We sat on a circle on the floor, next to a water fountain.

"What if we told you that we were only half human?" Annabeth asked gently. Half human? Well nothing too suspicious yet.

"There's nothing wrong with that. Hagrid is half giant and I love him all the same." I said slowly.

"Percy is half merman." Jason said with a completely straight face. I would have believed him if Piper didn't hit him upside his head. And if Percy wasn't rolling in the floor laughing his arse off.

"We're going to try to make this easy for you. You said you read something about the Greek stories. And we told you that we are only half human. What is your conclusion?" Annabeth looked straight at me with those startling eyes.

"Well I read that sometimes gods have children. They will come to Earth and have a baby with a person. The kid attracts monsters sometimes because he is.. half human and.. half god." I thought out loud, stumbling with the last sentence.

"Okay, what else?" Annabeth encouraged.

"So let's say a half human and half god person is real. Usually monsters attack them. They can do stuff regular people can't do, even wizards sometimes. But this isn't possible." I racked my brain, what was the point of this?

"Hermione. It's all real. We are half human, and half god. Monsters attack of restlessly, but for the most part we are safe here. Me, Percy, and Nico fought two major wars. The first war was with Titans. Though Jason and his friends did help on the other side of the country. The second war was with giants, as you know." Annabeth said slowly. I was thankful for that because my head was reeling. Half god?

"So you guys are half god. And you've killed actual real Titans. How don't the muggles, or even us, know?" 

"There's this thing called the Mist. I can control it to some limit. The Mist controls how much mortals can see. Some people can see through it and see the monsters and our weapons, but that's rare. Percy's mom and friend can, but besides that, we don't know any. If I really wanted to, I could make you forget this whole conversation. " Hazel smiled sweetly at me, as if she didn't just threaten me.

"No, no! It's okay! This is actually pretty cool. Professor Dumbledore sent you here to protect Harry right? But why did Percy get chosen, why did it have to be him?" I asked carefully, not telling them I put there names in.

"Yeah, Professor Dumbledore sent us here to protect him. The God of Magic, Hecate, believes that there is someone in the school right now trying to kill him. My bro Percy has been the subject of too many prophecy's and is the most powerful demigod alive." Jason smiled triumphantly.

"Bro, you're too kind. You're pretty strong yourself." Percy said sheepishly.

"Naw bro, the only thing I can lift is your spirits." Jason smirked.

"Bro." Percy high-fived Jason and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Not again." Piper laughed.

"I think I'm going to bed." I got up shakily and went towards the door.

"Not so fast." Nico walked towards me and stopped in front of me. 

"I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you think." Which is true. I didn't plan on telling Harry because he hated trying to be protected, and Ron wouldn't even begun to understand it.

"You have to swear. On the River Styx. You're going to say 'I swear on the River Styx that I will not tell or hint to any human, soul, wizard or monster about demigods.'" Nico's face was determined.

"I swear on the River Styx that I will not tell or hint to any humans, souls, wizards, or monsters about demigods." I repeated. Lightning crackled outside of the window, though it was a cloudless night.

"Good. If you break a promise after you swore, you will witness something worse than death. Now you're going to go straight to bed and not mention you being up here at all." Piper stated clearly. I nodded, got up, and went to my dorm to go to sleep.

/The next morning/

I woke up early and waited in the common room for Ron and Harry.

"Morning 'Mione." Ron yawned, Harry behind him.

"Hey." I managed. We walked downstairs to where the Americans sat. I sat in-between Leo and Percy. Harry and Ron sat with Ginny and Dean.

The food appeared on the table and Leo put his hands under the table. I put some breakfast on my plate and I turned to see Leo's hands on fire. I was about to scream when Percy put his hand over my mouth and laughed. I watched with wide eyes as he tossed a couple of pieces of bacon in Leo's hand. The food went up in flames and the smoke smelled wonderful. The rest of the Americans did the same. Once everyone was done, Leo's hands weren't on fire anymore.

"Why do you guys do that?" I asked after Percy took his hand away from my mouth.

"We gotta sacrifice some of our food to the gods. They find it disrespectful when we don't, so we do it as often as we can." Leo explained between bites of his food. 

"So you guys have a parent that's a real, actual god." I said to make sure that yesterday wasn't a weird dream.

"Yup." Percy refilled his plate for the 4th time.

"I noticed that you eat more and sleep more Percy. Anything happening there?" I asked.

"It's what old Zeus is mad about. I took the Curse of Achilles which makes you the most vulnerable and invulnerable person at the same time. He doesn't like people having more power than they should. He usually tries to kill me, especially after I rejected immortally. He didn't like that one bit." Percy laughed at that and had a wistful look.

"You rejected immortality..?" I asked in complete awe.

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Sometimes I wish I hadn't. But being with Annabeth the rest of my life is worth it." He wrapped his arm around Annabeth and kissed her cheek while she was chatting with Piper. She smiled, but didn't look away from her conversation.

"If you think that's cool, wait until you've heard what else he's done." Leo cracked a grin.

"I think you'll have to give me another 10 years until I've processed all this." I half joked. The demigods around me laughed.

Malfoy came by and I expected some sort of snide comment, but he surprised me. "Hello Granger, mind if I sit?" He slid in next to me and Percy. As if seeing Malfoy, Neville got up. I thought it'd be to leave, but he sat across from us.

"Training-today." Is what I understood from what Malfoy said.

"Severus-there-teach-her?" Neville said.

"We can teach her-she might be-of us." Percy nodded his head.

"Can we actually train her though?" Malfoy asked.

"You think she's Athena's?" Percy asked.

"Well if she is, she hasn't been claimed. Let's just take her to the Room of Requirements and have her try some weapons. If they cut her, then yeah. If not, then she's a normal wizard." Neville concluded.

"You want to cut me?" My eyes were wide and my mouth hung a gap.

"You can understand us?" Malfoy asked, moving a bit closer to study me better.

"We were speaking in Greek Hermione." Neville also looked shock.

"You were?" I didn't even notice. It went from phrases to sentences to actually understanding it.

"Interesting." Malfoy said with a smirk. "Let's go meet Severus." As if understanding, the Americans got up and I was whisked away with them.

We went up to the seventh floor, and Annabeth paced alongside a wall. A door appeared and I was pulled inside. Inside the new room was a training quarters of some sorts. There were punching bags, mats, and some golf clubs laying around.

"Ms. Granger, what are you doing here?" Professor Snape slashed off a head of a dummy with, a sword?

"Severus, we think she's one of us." Annabeth said.

"Oh. That would certainly be interesting." Professor Snape circled me, his dark eyes examining me.

Leo came back from wherever he was with a golf club and handed it to Percy.

"Why do you guys have golf clubs?" I asked, remembering seeing them in their vault.

"She can't see through the Mist?" Hazel asked, astonished.

Percy swung at me, and I dodged. I don't know what suprised me more. Him swinging or me actually dodging.

"Nice one kid! Now let's just cut your finger a bit to test something." Jason came over and grabbed my arm in a strong grip. Percy then put the tip of, what must have been a sword, to my finger and cut me. Blood was trailing down my finger.

"Why can't she see through the Mist?" Hazel asked again.

"I believe Lady Hecate might have made it so Hermione couldn't see. Maybe she saw her and Harry's lives being connected, so she wanted Hermione to stay away from this part of the world and focus on saving Harry. Yes, that would make sense." Professor Snape looked at me with something like admiration?

"What's going on?" I asked. Just before anyone could answer, a little light appeared above my head. When I looked up, it was gone. Everyone kneeled where they were and said;

"All hail Hermione Granger, daughter of Athena."

\-----

A/N: I know yesterday was Saturday and today is Sunday. Friday I went to a Blink 182 concert, so I didn't work too much on it. Yesterday I went to Comic Con and wasted another uploading day. Today I went to Comic Con again. I saw the Sherlock and Supernatural panels. I did rush this chapter, so feel free to correct anything.

QotD:  
If you were a demigod, who would your godly parent be?

Answer:  
I honestly feel like it'd either be Hades or Nemesis.


	8. (ಥ﹏ಥ)

-Hermione Pov-

"All hail Hermione Granger, daughter of Athena." 

I just stood there, staring at the people kneeling around me.

"But, I'm a wizard. A muggleborn. My mom and dad are both muggles. My dad didn't cheat on my mum. Right?" I looked at everyone with pleading eyes. This changes everything.

"We believe Lady Hecate manipulated the Mist your whole life. She must have planted false memories into your parents head. She must have kept the monsters away as best as possible. The troll and getting the Sorcerer's stone was a test to your logic, I think. Most interesting. Athena claimed you just now, so she probably knew what Hecate did." Professor Snape said.

"So I'm half god?" I asked exasperated. "I just learned about this stuff yesterday and now I'm apart of a whole new world?" I sat down on the floor, putting my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around me.

"Me and Annabeth are your siblings by the way. Annabeth is Greek and I'm Roman." Malfoy said with a sly grin.

"I-I'm related to you? But.. that means you're a half-blood. What about the being a pure blood? And why'd you call me a mudblood then? Oh no I'm related to Draco Malfoy. This is too much for me to handle." I wrapped myself tighter and put my head down.

"Believe me, it was a shocker when I found out. One moment I think I'm high and mighty because I'm a pure blood wizard. Then next thing I know, I'm a half breed. It took me a week to finally accept it. I had my suspicions about you, but kept quit, not sure how'd you react to me telling you these things. But then these 8 came, and I figured you'd snoop around. Take as much time as you need, sis. We'll answer any questions you have." Malfoy sat down next to me and draped an arm over my shoulder. This was officially the weirdest day in my life.

"I wonder if she'll use a dagger like Annabeth or a sword like Draco?" Neville pondered out loud. Neville? I had forgotten about him with all the commotion.

"You're one of.. you know too?" I asked him.

"Yeah! I'm a son if Ceres, Demeter's Roman form." I racked my brain for the name Demeter. Something about agriculture?

"That's why you're wonderful at Herbology!" I exclaimed, remembering what Demeter was the goddess of.

"Yeah. My mom's wonderful. Only seen her a couple of times though. Gods aren't supposed to interact with their children much. But ever since Percy made them swear to be lenient towards their kids and Jason recognizing the gods more, the gods have been friendlier." Neville explained with a grin on his face.

"Oh. Jason's dad is Zeus, right? And Percy mentioned being Zeus' nephew so that'd either make you a son of Hades or Poseidon. Guessing you're a son of Poseidon from the second task. Then you," I turned to where Hazel, Nico, and Professor Snape stood. "Are probably children of Hades. Just guessing." I looked around to see everyone nod, obviously impressed. I turned to Leo. "Your fireproof so what should make the most sense would be Hephaestus?" He nodded. I turned and looked at the remaining two. "Sorry I don't have a clue."

"You were brilliant! I'm a daughter of Aphrodite. I know, I don't really look like one." Piper smiled. I didn't know much about the goddess of love or her children, so I didn't say anything.

"My father is Mars, the Roman form of the War God Ares." Frank admitted, looking at the floor. "I thought my dad was Apollo for the longest time. When my dad claimed me, everyone else and I, were shocked to say the least. I didn't always look like this, I went through a growth spurt." Frank looked shy, although I could tell he could lead an army if he wanted to.

"Today has been very eventful. And it's only 1st period." Realization dawned on me. "Oh no, it's first period! I'm so going to be late!" I got up and tried for the door. Draco held my arm tightly, but not in a way that'd make me feel threatened.

"I have excused you from your first class Ms. G- Hermione." Professor Snape corrected himself. "This is a lot of information to take in. Even for a know-it-all as yourself." He said with a small smile, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"T-Thank your sir." I stammered. Were Draco and Professor Snape actually good people behind their public personas?

"Drop the formalities while in selected company. Although I do think it will take some adjusting for me as well. Anyways, we will try to find a suitable weapon for you. Then at lunch, we meet back here to try and train you. Now that you're aware of who you are, your scent is stronger. I know Lady Hecate is doing her best to obscure our scents, but there are 12 of us. And out of the twelve, we have almost all of the kids of The Big Three. Training will be necessary." Severus went the wall and grabbed a couple of swords and daggers then came back to me. 

"I thought these don't work on muggles. Mortals, whatever." I corrected myself as I grabbed a heavy looking sword. It was too heavy, and the grip didn't feel right. I shook my head and grabbed for another.

"They don't because they are usually made out of Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold. However, since we are in the wizarding world, Severus fused our swords with steel. Which will hurt mortals. There was an incident once where Percy swung his sword through Rachel, our friend who can see through the Mist. She was scared out of her wits! So Severus promised to take out the steel once our mission is over just in case something like that happens again." Jason explained while I grabbed a dagger. It felt balanced in my hand. I swung it around to get a feel, and it felt perfect. It was balanced and was what must have been Celestial Bronze.

"Good choice. A dagger doesn’t have the power or reach of a sword, but it can be an excellent weapon in the right hands." Annabeth said with a small, wistful smile on her face.

After being taught the basics, I was sweating and sore. Being a half-blood would be a new experience in many ways. 10 minutes before my second class, I took a shower and let the warm water clean me. After about 8 minutes, I rushed to put my clothes on, and ran to the dungeons to make it on time. I was a minute late and tried to sneak in to class, but Professor Snape caught me.

"Ah Ms. Granger, how nice of you to finally join us. Have a seat next to Mr. Malfoy if you would." Normally I would have taken offence to this, but I was kind of grateful. 

"Sorry about that 'Mione. Good luck." Harry whispered as I passed by.

"Hey." Draco said casually as I sat down next to him.

"Hello," I replied awkwardly. We started and finished our potion in record time. For the first time since the other demigods arrived, I finished my potion before Percy and Leo.

"So how are you adjusting?" Draco looked at me with concern and amusement.

"I still find it very odd. I read somewhere that all children of Athena/Minerva are supposed to be scared of spiders, right?" I asked. He visibly shivered. "I'll take that as a yes. In second year, looking for the chamber of secrets, spiders constantly ran around the castle, and it didn't bother me none. Is that strange?"

"A bit. Arachne has always hated Athena because of what she did. So, Arachne always sends spiders to attack us. But ever since Annabeth and Percy defeated her, the spiders stay away." Percy and Annabeth defeated the Arachne? 

"It's funny how I was growing up a normal kid, only having to worry about school grades. Then I learned I was a witch, and a whole new world opened up to me. I felt like I was in a story, getting to live in two different worlds. But now this? I'm all sorts of weird now." I chuckled.

"I know what you mean. But at least now you have support. Over the summer, if your parents let you, you can go to one of the camps. Or both of them. Percy and Frank are Praetor's, so they'll be able to fit you right in. You can learn more about that world, which I know you'd want to, and meet new people. They'll be your family regardless of who your parent is. There's no Houses like we have here, which is just fantastic. Though I've only been to Camp Jupiter a couple of times with Severus." This was the most open I think Draco has ever been in his life. Now he has someone he could confide in, and I felt oddly comfortable around him.

"I think I'll go for most of the break. I have to come back with Harry the last week, however. There's this organization we have to try and stop You-Know-Who from rising to power. You think you can convince your father to go? Make up some lie, have Severus help. It'd be a fun new experience for us I think." I blushed slightly. Draco, who up until now was a total arse, was supportive. I grew up an only child, so I'm pretty independent. But now, I have an older brother of sorts to depend on.

"That would be nice. You know Hermione, you're not all that bad." Draco said with a smirk after a couple of seconds.

"Behind your mask around your goonies, you're not too bad yourself." I cracked a smile.

"I got to keep up appearances somehow. Ron is pretty easy to pick on, so he's my usual target. Of course Potter tries to defend him and I attack him as well. It's part of my mission. I've got to keep my half-blood status silent. Which means I got to do anything to keep my father happy, even if I don't want to. But I think it fits my charm." He fixed his collar with a smug smile and ran his fingers through his hair. I tried to keep in my laugh.

"Whatever you say, Malfoy." I joked.

"Since I gotta keep my appearances up to avoid suspicion and punishment from my father, you might have to get made fun of too once in a while. Just pretend you're hurt, won't you sister? I don't think my ego can handle it if you don't at least try to look hurt," Draco admitted with a chuckle.

"Just because you admitted you have a big ego, I'll play along. And don't worry, I'll play my part to. You 'slimy git' as Ron would put it." We both laughed quietly.

"Class dismissed." Severus said. I hadn't even realized we were talking all period.

"Finally. Get out of my way, mudblood." Draco shoved passed me, but gave me a low key high five

"Piss off Malfoy. I don't want to see your stupid face anyways." I walked off, hiding a smile, to where Harry and Ron were waiting.

"That stupid git, partnering you with bloody Malfoy, what was he thinking! Are you okay 'Mione? He didn't try anything right?" Ron asked as we were walking to the Great Hall.

"I'm fine Ron. Thank you though." I smiled at him.

"Just let me know if he hurts you, because we'll hurt him back. Right Harry?" Ron looked to our friend.

"You betcha. Nobody's gonna hurt Hermione and get away with it." Harry smiled and put his arm over my shoulder. I smiled at them both. They were so overdramatic sometimes, but honestly, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

-Percy Pov-

Today was the day of the third tournament. One way or another, Voldemort was going to be back. How? No idea. How is the graveyard going to happen? No idea. I'd just have to be careful and stay with Harry at all times. 

"'Sup Wise Girl." I said as I sat down next to my girlfriend. "Today's the day." 

"Yeah, I know." She said grimly, her grey eyes dark and stormy. "I think you should speak to Lady Hecate because-"

"Hey Percy, how are you?" Harry interrupted, sitting across from me. "You ready for today's last tournament? I don't really care too much about winning, I just want it to be over." He confessed, grabbing some eggs.

"Hm? Yeah, I can't wait until it's over." I agreed, looking at Annabeth to see if she'd continue.

"You know, our families are supposed to visit us today? I don't think the Dursely's will visit me. Is your family gonna visit?" I could tell Harry was anxious because he usually wasn't talkative.

"I'm not sure. My mom and step-dad are muggles and live in America.. so I'm not sure if their going to be there. My dad can come inside the castle, but I'm not sure if he'll come." I confessed. Was Poseidon going to come? Or was my mom? Or neither?

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Jackson please follow me. Your families are waiting for you." Professor Dumbledore said. I shared a look and got up to follow, Harry right behind.

"I wonder who's here for me." Harry wondered out loud.

"Me too bro. Me too."

We turned the corner and Ms. Weasely with I think Bill was waiting for Harry. Harry smiled and greeted them. 

"Of course we'd be here for you Harry. Hi there Percy! Who's here for you?" Molly asked when I was in earshot. I just shrugged.

"That's okay darling. You can be with us if-"

"Perseus Jackson." Someone said from across the room. Everyone was staring at me. I turned around to see my father standing next to Hecate. He was wearing Bermuda shorts, like I've always seen him. He had a polo shirt on, his beard was trimmed. Today he looked in his twenty's and his eyes swirled with warmth. Hecate, on the other hand, eyes were dark purple and serious. She wore a black dress with her polecat Gale running around.

"Lady Hecate, Lord." I kneeled. I didn't want to get blasted, so I was going to be respectful even with others around.

"Rise my hero." Hecate said with a warm voice. I rose and Poseidon put his hand on my shoulder.

"My son, you've grown from the last time I've seen you. For your effort in the last war and because your here, Zeus has aloud me and Hecate to accompany you today." He said. Though, if Hecate came, something serious was going to be talked about.

"This is your dad Percy?" Harry asked, walking over with the Weasley's in suit. "He looks so young and just like you!"

"Father, this is Harry Potter. Harry, my father." I saw Hecate's eyes glow slightly.

"It's a pleasure." Poseidon said, extending his hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you Harry Potter. Do you mind if I accompany you?" Hecate asked Molly.

"N-no I don't mind at all! I-it'd be an absolute honor!" Molly said, dusting off her clothes and looking beyond awestruck.

"We'll be off." Poseidon directed me outside of the room and started walking.

"Father, is something wrong?" I asked once I got over my shock.

"It's better if we talk about it with the rest of the demigods." He said with a grim look.

"Yes, sir. I'll lead the way." Currently everyone was in potions right now. I lead the way to the dungeons, stopping once in a while because Poseidon would get sidetracked and talk to some paintings. I wonder if the gods have ADHD sometimes too? 

We arrived at the classroom and I opened the door. Everyone's head turned around, and the ones who knew who I was with gasped. 

"Class dismissed. The Americans, Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Longbottom please stay." Severus announced quickly, trying to flatten his robes. I waited inside and waited until the rest of the class filed out.

"Lord Poseidon." Everyone kneeled.

"Stand heroes, there is much to talk about. But not here. Severus, I see your taste never changes." Poseidon chuckled. "Let's go to the lake."

We walked through the castle, some people trying to look at what we were doing. After some twists and turns, we made it to the lake.

"Ah, hello Jeffery." My father smiled at the Giant Squid. The squid waved back and went back underwater. "Everyone sit around please."

I sat down with Annabeth on my right and Hermione to my left. Everyone else sat around, even Severus sat on the floor. My dad made a chair out of the water and sat down, a trident forming in his hands.

"Let's see who's here. Severus, nice seeing you again. Thank you for that errand you did once again. Nico, Hazel, hello. Hades says hello to you three. Leo, your father said something along the lines of 'I'm proud of you.' Piper your mother was being as much of a gossip as usual, but she did say to keep Katoptris handy, visions are going to start again soon. Frank, your dad said to make him proud in this upcoming war. Though, he won't admit that you did impress him in the last one. Jason your father said your supply has increased, not sure if that means anything to you. Annabeth your mother did find it a bit difficult to talk to me without starting a fight, but she said to keep your hat close. The need for it and strategy will be soon. And.. you must be Hermione. Yes, yes. Athena sends her regards and apologizes for the inconvenience of your claiming. Draco, Athena also says your role in the upcoming war is going to be difficult. Severus should assist you. And Neville, your mom said something about eating cereal and good job.

"Now, what I'm about to tell you is important. Hecate is here and is currently with Harry Potter. She is taking a tour around the castle. She feels like, yes Voldemort is going to raise again today, but parts of his soul are around. Hades hasn't offered much information. Probably because he's embarrassed to admit that someone cheated him. Nico, it'll be your job to take care of that I'm pretty sure. So Voldemort is going to come to power again tonight. My son has taken the Curse of Achilles once again, and is safe from him. However, Harry Potter is not. Your job Percy is to act dead. I'm pretty sure he or one of his minions are going to cast the killing curse on you. Play dead. He has to come to power so the prophecy can be fulfilled. You guys know how important this must be. Once he has a body, your number one mission is to protect Harry and find a way out of there. Don't try to kill Voldemort. Leave. You understand that son?" My dad's eyes were serious and tired looking.

"Yes, Father." I replied. Annabeth squeezed my hand.

"Severus, once Voldemort summons you, you go. You will follow his orders the best you can. Play double agent. We have enough demigods here to come up with a plan and follow through. You are all strong and wise. Hecate is depending on you, and I know you won't disappoint me. While Percy is doing the third task, we will be in the stands waiting for him. We won't go help. We still have a threat against Harry at school. I believe the Death Eater is a teacher, so we have to keep an eye on them. Everything clear? And I trust no one, especially you Hermione, will talk about it with anyone who can't be trust. Now, let's go meet up with Harry Potter." Poseidon stood up, and started walking towards the Great Hall.

"Percy, your aunt is cool! She knows everything about magic. Did she used to go here?" Harry asked, looking happier than I've seen him.

"Um yeah. She's the most powerful witch alive. I'm glad you like her." I said. I threw some steak into Leo's flaming hands.

"Thank you son." Poseidon said, taking a deep breathe.

"She showed me some cool spells. Although I don't think they are legal, but she said she works for the Ministry." Harry explained, not hearing what my father said.

We kept talking all throughout the rest of lunch. It felt slightly awkward sitting next to two gods, but oddly at home. I mostly conversed with Ron, Harry, and Hermione who were sitting across from me. I could tell Hermione was dying to tell Harry what we talked about, but Hecate kept her amused.

"Champions, the third and final task will begin shortly. Please make your way to the Quidditch Field. Audience members make your way to the stands." Albus announced. I got up and Poseidon with Hecate followed.

"Stay brave Perseus. I know Severus has done all he can in teaching you. Hazel is a fine teacher, so remember the spells and how to use the Mist. Harry is your priority. And when you come back we shall discuss what to do next with the council." Hecate briefed.

"Perseus, Percy. I know you'll do fine. Find Harry and stick to the plan. I believe in you, and good luck." With that, the two walked away towards the stands. Harry jogged over and stood next to me.

"Today will be the last day of the tournament. The last obstacle will be a maze. You have to find your way to the center and the first one to get the Cup is the winner!" While Mr. Bagman went into more detail, I zoned out.

"You think you wanna work together till the end? We can compromise on who gets the cup when we get there." Harry suggested. I just looked at him. Well, this makes my job slightly easier.

"Sounds good, I'll find you." I agreed.

I went into the maze first since I was in first place. No time for a panic attack, Percy. I reminded myself. This is not Daedalus' labyrinth. I got to find Harry.

I walked over to where Harry would be entering the maze. I sat down for what felt about 10 minutes until the bush in front of me opened. Harry walked in uncertainly. 

"There you are! Let's go, I have a good idea on how to navigate this!" I shouted, grabbing his arm.

I stayed to the left wall of the maze and ran. Annabeth said this is how mortals finished maze games, and this was my best bet.

Harry probably wasn't used to the running because he was panting slightly. So far we hadn't ran into any obstacles, so I kept going. After another minute or so, I saw the cup glinting in the distance. I was going to sprint at it, but a giant hellhound turned the corner, blocking our path.

"What in the world is that!?" Harry asked in-between gasps. 

"Don't worry, I've got it!" I said a little too slowly. 

Harry pulled out his wand and yelled, "Stupefy!" Of course it only made the dog freeze slightly. The hellhound got angry and charged.

"Stay back!" I yelled again, but the hellhound was able to sightly scratch Harry's chest before I could stab the monster. But when I did, it exploded in golden dust all around me.

"You okay?" I asked Harry, my eyes bewildered.

"Yeah." Harry managed. I lifted up his shirt slowly and saw claw marks. They were bright red, but not bleeding. 

"It's not as bad as I thought, thankfully." I pulled out my canteen of Nectar that was clipped to my jeans. I put a drop of it into his mouth. If he took more than a sip, he'd explode since he was mortal. But a couple of drops would be enough to heal.

"Where'd you get that butterbeer from?" Harry asked. He had gotten a bit more color, and I could tell his cuts were slowly closing.

"Don't worry, I snuck it in. A little drink wouldn't hurt anyone right?" I asked. He only nodded. Thank the gods he didn't ask for more.

"The Cup's right over there, come on!" Harry called over. I stayed behind with Riptide drawn to make sure nothing else took us by surprise. Once we actually reached the cup, Harry just stared at it and then at me.

"I'm not about to fight you for it Harry. Why don't we just grab it at the same time?" I suggested.

He nodded and we grabbed the cup at the same time. We were transported to some dark place. While my vision focused, I tried to keep my guard up. After about a minute, I finally saw where we were. A graveyard.

"Wands out, d'you reckon?" Harry asked.

I nodded and pulled out my wand. Harry kept looking around him. I did too because I got the strange feeling that we were being watched. And when I got that feeling, I was usually right.

"Someone's coming," I said suddenly, my senses on high alert.

Squinting through the darkness, we watched a figure drawing nearer, walking towards us between the graves. I couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, I could tell that it was carrying something. The thing in the persons arms looked like a baby...or was it just a bundle of robes?

And then, without warning, Harry's wand slipped from his fingers as he put his hands over his face; his knees buckled; and he was suddenly on the ground. It must have been his scar hurting. Which meant the thing that looked like a baby must have been Voldemort.

There was a swishing noise then a voice that screeched: "Avada Kedavra!"

A blast of green light blazed all around the graveyard as it went towards me. I concentrated on using the Mist. I let it look like the spell hit me, just like what Voldemort would expect, and fell to the ground.

-Harry Pov-

Through the pain in my scar, I was able to see Percy. He was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside me. He was dead.

I stared at Percy's face, at his open green eyes, mouth open in shock. He was there to protect me, but I wasn't there to protect him. Before I could think too much about it, I was pulled to my feet.

The short man in the cloak dragged me towards the marble headstone. I saw the name flickering in the wandlight before I was forcefully shoved against the headstone. It read: TOM RIDDLE

The cloaked man was now conjuring tight cords around me. I could hear shallow, fast breathing from the depths of the hood. I struggled to get free, but I was slapped. I was slapped by a hand that had a finger missing. That's when I realized who was under the hood. It was Wormtail.

"You!" I gasped.

But Wormtail, who had finished conjuring the ropes, did not reply; he was busy checking the tightness of the cords, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, fumbling over the knots. Once he was sure that I was bound so tightly to the headstone that I couldn't move an inch, he walked away.

"Now..." said a cold voice coming from the bundle of robes. From the pain of my scar, I could tell that Wormtail was brewing something, but I wasn't sure what.

Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and I let out a yell that was silenced by a spell.

Wormtail put the thing in the robes inside what he was brewing. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"

The surface of the grave at my feet cracked. Horrified, I watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed.

And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.

"Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master."

He stretched his right hand out in front of him - the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.

I realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened . I heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron. I didn't want to look, but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through my closed eyelids....

Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. I didn't realize how close he was until his breathes fell upon my face.

"B-blood of the enemy...forcibly taken...you will...resurrect your foe."

I could do nothing to prevent the shining silver dagger that penetrated the crook of my arm. Blood seeped down my sleeve of my torn robes. Wormtail, still panting with pain, rumbled in his pocket for a glass vial and held it to my cut so that a dribble of blood fell into it.

Wormtail staggered back to the cauldron with my blood. He poured it inside. The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron, then slumped sideways and lay on the ground, cradling the bleeding stump of his arm, gasping and sobbing.

The cauldron was simmering, sending its diamond sparks in all directions, so blindingly bright that it turned all else to velvety blackness. Nothing happened.

And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished. A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead, obliterating everything in front of me, so that I couldn't see Wormtail or Percy or anything but vapor hanging in the air.

But then, through the mist in front of me, I saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.

"Robe me," said the high, cold voice from behind the steam, and Wormtail, sobbing and moaning, still cradling his mutilated arm, scrambled to pick up the black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one-handed over his master's head.

The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at me. All I could do was stare back into the face that had haunted my nightmares for three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snakes with slits for nostrils...

Lord Voldemort had risen again.

Voldemort bent down and pulled out Wormtail's left arm; he forced the sleeve of Wormtail's robes up past his elbow, and I saw something upon the skin there, something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth - the image that had appeared in the sky at the Quidditch World Cup: the Dark Mark. Voldemort pressed his finger against the Mark and Wormtail cried in pain.

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Wizards were apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward...slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes. Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the hem of his black robes.

"Master...Master..." he murmured.

The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. 

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years...thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"

He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening.

"I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench of guilt upon the air.

"Because you must have believed me broken, you thought I was gone. You slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment. And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort...perhaps they now pay allegiance to another...perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.

"It is a disappointment to me...I confess myself disappointed....

"Yet you helped return me to my body. Wormtail remained loyal through fear," said Voldemort coolly, watching Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me...and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers...."

Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist.

"My Lord," he whispered. "Master...it is beautiful...thank you...thank you...."

He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.

"No, my Lord...never, my Lord..."

Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new hand, his face still shining with tears. 

"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand." Voldemort commanded.

Wormtail approached me. He raised his new silver hand, and with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying me to the gravestone.

The Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around me and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled. Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Percy's body lay to grab my wand. Then as quick as lightning, Percy got up with a sword in his hand, and swiped at Wormtail. Wormtail was cut in half. He fell to the ground dead. Before I could even process what happened, Percy grabbed my wand and pushed it into my hand.

"How did you survive the killing curse!?" Voldemort roared. The Death Eaters shuffled uneasily, not sure to attack or not.

"Listen here Moldy Shorts." Percy said with a deadly serious voice. He walked forwards with the tip of his sword pointed at Voldemort. "You will not harm me or Harry. Do you understand?" Before I could yell out to stop, Voldemort raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!" Percy stumbled backwards and fell. The Death Eaters in the circle laughed. "Do not underestimate me!" Voldemort circled Percy's, again, dead body.

"And do not underestimate me!" Percy shouted, jumping up swinging. Voldemort's arm got a good looking gash on it. I held my wand tightly, not sure what to do.

"Who is he?"

"He survived Avada Kedavra.." Another person mumbled.

"Back up!" Percy shouted, swinging his sword in a huge arc. The Death Eaters backed up.

"What are you doing? Kill him!" Voldemort hissed.

"Avada Kedavra!" Half of the Death Eaters yelled.

"Crucio!" The other half yelled.

Percy stumbled and wheezed. "Harry.. the cup. You have to get to the cup." 

I ran towards the cup and tried to steady my wand arm. "Stupefy!" I managed to get one, but that just reminded everyone else about me.

"Harry, you idiot!" Percy seemed angry, his green eyes almost glowing. I backed up in fear. I never realized how scary my friend could be. He pointed his wand at the Death Eaters.

"That's enough! Be sure that this is the last I see of you. I'm immortal, I can't be killed, and I am Harry's bodyguard. I will be hunting each of you down. One. By. One." Percy emphasized each word. He walked over towards me and I swear he had a blue aura around him.

"Percy!" I screamed in fear. A killing curse was coming straight for me. Faster than I've seen him before, Percy actually grabbed the spell and turned on his heel. He threw it and one of the Death Eaters fell to the ground, most likely dead.

"You had your chance. Now fear me." Percy thrust out his wand and everybody stopped cold. "Dance for me." Percy said with a smirk. Slowly, the Death Eaters started to dance around. I could tell that he was controlling them. "Raise your wands and kill yourselfs." He said with a sickening laugh.

"Fools, I'm your master! You'll listen to me!" Voldemort cried. Percy cocked his head to the side and smiled. He pointed his wand at Voldemort and the Death Eaters fell to the ground. For probably the first and last time, I was thankful they were alive. No one should die that way.

"I dare you to try and go after Harry. Just know, you'll have to deal with me." As happy as I was to see Voldemort withering around on the ground, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Percy, please stop." I croaked. He turned around and shivers went through my entire body. This side of Percy was one I've never seen before and hope to never see again.

"Let's go back." He growled. He grabbed me and dragged me over to the cup. We both took it and landed at the Quidditch field.

"Percy!" Annabeth called! She ran over to him and took a step back. "Percy?"

"Harry!" Hermione threw her arms around my neck. "Thank the gods your alive! I was so worried and- What's wrong?" I looked away and pointed at Percy. 

"Harry, Percy where were you?" Dumbledore asked, ignoring Percy's oddness.

"Voldemort is back." I breathed out.

Everyone immediately got into an uproar.

"I'm telling the truth!" I protested.

"He is correct. Voldemort indeed is back. Anyone who thinks otherwise better SHUT UP!" Percy's sudden mood change made everyone go silent. 

"I think these boys are in shock. I'll go fetch them something." Mad-Eye Moody said. He grabbed my arm and Percy's.

"Unhand me, filth." Percy hissed. Moody let go and we walked into his office.

"The Dark Lord and I," said Moody, and he looked completely insane, towering over me and Percy, "have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers...very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure...the very great pleasure...of killing our fathers to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!"

"You're mad," I stuttered. Percy looked surprisingly calm, staring daggers at Moody.

"Mad, am I?" said Moody, his voice rising uncontrollably. "We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him - and now - I conquer you!"

Moody raised his wand, he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Once again, Percy was faster. He had his wand out and yelled "Stupefy!" Instead of doing whatever he did at the graveyard, which I was thankful for.

The door of Moody's office was blasted apart suddenly. Moody was thrown backward onto the office floor. I was still staring at the place where Moody's face had been, and I saw Albus Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Percy's Dad, Percy's Aunt, and Professor McGonagall looking back at me. They were standing in the doorway, Dumbledore in front, his wand outstretched.

At that moment, I fully understood for the first time why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye Moody was more terrible than I could have ever imagined for him. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes behind the spectacles. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he were giving off burning heat. Almost how Percy looked at the graveyard, but Percy's power radiated stronger and with more malicious intent.

Dumbledore stepped into the office, placed a foot underneath Moody's unconscious body, and kicked him over onto his back, so that his face was visible. Snape followed him, looking into the Foe-Glass, where his own face was still visible, glaring into the room. Professor McGonagall went straight to me, ignoring Percy.

"Come along, Potter," she whispered. The thin line of her mouth was twitching as though she was about to cry. "Come along...hospital wing..."

"No," said Dumbledore sharply.

"Dumbledore, he ought to - look at him - he's been through enough tonight -"

"He will stay, Minerva, because he needs to understand," said Dumbledore curtly. "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why,"

"Moody," I said. I was still in a state of complete disbelief. "How can it have been Moody?"

"This is not Alastor Moody," said Dumbledore quietly. "You have never known Alastor Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew - and I followed."

Dumbledore bent down over Moody's limp form and put a hand inside his robes. He pulled out Moody's hip flask and a set of keys on a ring. Then he turned to Professors McGonagall and Snape.

"Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens and bring up the house-elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here."

If either Snape or McGonagall found these instructions peculiar, they hid their confusion. Both turned at once and left the office. Percy's dad and aunt went to go talk to each other in a corner where they were speaking Greek. I just stood there starting at the fake Mad-Eye Moody.

"I will take Mr. Potter with me. Perseus you deal with what you have to." Dumbledore said. Percy nodded his head and trudged out of the room with his family behind him. 

We walked to the Dumbledore's office in silence. He gave the password, it sprang aside, and we went up the moving spiral staircase to the oak door. Dumbledore pushed it open. Sirius was standing there. His face was white and gaunt as it had been when he had escaped Azkaban. In one swift moment, he had crossed the room.

"Harry, are you all right? I knew it - I knew something like this - what happened?"

His hands shook as he helped me into a chair in front of the desk.

"What happened?" he asked more urgently.

Dumbledore began to tell Sirius everything Barty Crouch had said. I was only half listening. I was tired and, I wanted nothing more than to sit here, undisturbed, for hours and hours, until I fell asleep and didn't have to think or feel anymore.

There was a soft rush of wings. Fawkes the phoenix had left his perch, flown across the office, and landed on my knee.

"'Lo, Fawkes," I said quietly. I stroked the phoenix's beautiful scarlet-and-gold plumage. Fawkes blinked peacefully up at me.

Dumbledore stopped talking. He sat down opposite of me, behind his desk. He was looking at me, but I avoided his eyes. Dumbledore was going to question me. He was going to make me relive everything.

"I need to know what happened after you touched the Portkey in the maze. Harry," said Dumbledore.

"We can leave that till morning, can't we, Dumbledore?" said Sirius harshly. He had put a hand on my shoulder. "Let him go to sleep. Let him rest."

I felt a rush of gratitude toward Sirius, but Dumbledore took no notice of Sirius's words. He leaned forward towards me. Very unwillingly, I raised my head and looked into those blue eyes.

"If I thought I could help you," Dumbledore said gently, "by putting you into an enchanted sleep and allowing you to postpone the moment when you would have to think about what has happened tonight, I would do it. But I know better. Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it. You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you. I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time. I ask you to tell us what happened."

The phoenix let out one soft, quavering note. It shivered in the air, and I felt as though a drop of hot liquid had slipped down my throat into my stomach, warming me, and strengthening me.

I took a deep breath and began to tell them. As I spoke, visions of everything that had passed that night seemed to flash before my eyes; I saw the sparkling surface of the potion that had revived Voldemort; I saw the Death Eaters Apparating between the graves around them; I saw Percy controlling the Death Eaters.

When I talked about Wormtail piercing my arm with the dagger, however, Dumbledore walked around the desk and told me to stretch out my arm. I showed them both places where my robes were torn and the cut beneath them.

"He said my blood would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's," I told Dumbledore. "He said the protection my - my mother left in me - he'd have it too. And he was right - he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face."

"Very well," Dumbledore said, sitting down again. "Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier. Harry, continue, please."

I explained how Voldemort had emerged from the cauldron, and told them all I could remember from Voldemort's speech to the Death Eaters. Then I told how Voldemort had untied me, and asked Wormtail to grab my wand. But before Wormtail could get it, Percy killed him with a sword. I explained how Voldemor, as well as other wizards, used the killing curse and an unforgivable on him, but didn't work. I went into detail about how Percy controlled them and looked borderline insane.

"Yes, yes I see. Annabeth has warned me about that, but I didn't believe it'd happen.. Sirius go fetch Severus would you?" Dumbledore asked. Sirius seemed a little peeved at the word 'fetch', but did it anyways.

"Harry you've got to understand something. Percy is the strongest half-blood alive. He's been through two wars and was nearly consumed by the darkness. He's always struggling with an internal battle." Dumbledore said as if that explained everything.

"H-he said he was immortal." I admitted when both Serious and Snape walked in.

"That's not technically true. If he wasn't so far off of the reserve, he probably would have been blasted." Snape limped in, using a cane.

"My dear boy, what happened?" Dumbledore asked, concerned.

"Perseus." Snape sat down and I immediately tensed.

"Harry there's something you need to know. Severus is a Death Eater. But he's a spy for us. He's a good guy. He's only going to torment you a bit longer because he has to keep up appearances. He's a good guy Harry. No matter what he does, he's on our side. Do you understand?" Sirius looked serious. (No pun intended.)

"Okay.." My head swirled. I can accept this as long as I get answers. But if Dumbledore and Sirius trusts him, I'll trust him.

"You can't speak about this to anyone. Not Hermione, not Ron, not anyone else. Tomorrow your going to go to a meeting with the Americans and their families. But that's tomorrow. Severus, tell me what happened." Dumbledore sat forward, his eyes focused.

"Voldemort summoned us, so I went as I was instructed. I saw Percy slice Wormtail with Riptide then confront Voldemort. Everyone shot him with the killing curse, but the curse and the armor worked well. However, he must have had a flashback and his instincts took over. He must have thought he was back in Tartarus because he controlled us. He used the water and the blood inside our bodies to move us around. I did my best to relax and let him take over. I thought he knew I was there, but he was reliving something. Then he focused on Voldemort. Once he was gone, Voldemort ordered us to leave. My body didn't cope well with him. I believe Poseidon and Hecate were shocked when Annabeth told them what she guessed had happen. Tomorrow, the gods are going to have a meeting." Snape explained. Okay.. how Percy managed that, I have no idea. But gods?

"I see. Yes, that'd make sense. Severus please escort Mr. Potter to his common room. I think today has been overwhelming." And that was my dismissal.

"Professor Snape, why did you say gods? Like plural?" I asked as we left Dumbledore's often.

"I think it'll all be explained to you tomorrow. It's been a long day, but I think tomorrow will be longer." He explained vaguely, using his cane.

"Is Percy someone I can trust? He was acting so inhumane. If I hadn't stopped him, I'm not sure what he would have done to you guys. He almost made your kill yourself. Even if we have our differences, I didn't want anyone to die like that." I explained.

"Percy Jackson is your only hope to survive. I know you don't like to have protection, but you need it Mr. Potter. I've been protecting you all this time, even if you didn't think so. Percy is suffering from flashbacks from war. War changes people Mr. Potter. It's important to know that. He crossed the line and did something that scared even him. But even darkness can consume the kindest people. You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. He needs his friends as much as your friends need him. Please try to get some shut eye. Goodnight Mr. Potter." And with that, Snape left me standing outside of Gryffindor Tower. I stood there for a while trying to process what he said. Percy seemed like such a good guy..

I walked into the common room and almost immediately Ron and Hermione rushed towards me.

"You okay mate? You look a little pale?" Ron asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm going to bed. Maybe tomorrow guys." I trudged upstairs and landed face first on my bed. Snape's words flew around in my head.

'You either die a hero, or live long enough to become a villain.'

If someone as loyal and kind-hearted as Percy could even think about being a villain, what exactly happened during his war?

\------

A/N What do you guys think? I rushed through this chapter to upload today! I like the idea of dark Percy, but that's just me. Should Percy be himself or should he kinda have a dark side? I should be uploading late night Saturday or midday Sunday.

QotD:  
Favorite class you have in school?

Answer:  
MCJROTC!


	9. The World Keeps Spinning

-Percy Pov-

I sat at the bottom of the lake thinking things over. I know I almost blew my cover. I know I scared Harry out of his wits. I know I killed people, mortals, even if they were on the wrong team. And most importantly, I hurt Severus. Over the past couple of weeks I've been here, he's been teaching us how to blend in. Spells that'd be useful to use in case we ran into Death Eaters. You know, the works. He's also sacrificing everything by being a double agent. And I harmed him.

'But you liked it, you felt powerful. You had everyone under your control.' A voice whispered in my head.

I did enjoy the power, that was true. I felt in control and I felt powerful. I could make people do whatever I want. I could kill them easily if I wanted to..

No. That's not who I am. I'm the good guy. I kill monsters who attack me. With my sword. Quick and painless. I'm a hero.

I swam to the top of the lake and looked up. It seemed to be around 1 or 2 in the morning and the meeting with the gods wasn't until a couple of hours.. I got out of the water and walked over to the Forbidden Forest. I've always complained about being attacked, but I loved the feeling of adrenaline pumping through me. It kept me in shape, and rather I get attacked than some poor demigod who isn't trained.

I was strolling through, Riptide drawn. I knew that Hogwart's borders covered some of the area, but not much, so I ventured deeper.

"Look, itsss a half-blood." Something hissed behind me. I turned, swinging Riptide in an arc.

"To sssslow." The dracnae chuckled, which sounded pretty disgusting.

"What do you want?" I asked, knowing I'd have to wait for an opening.

"Nothing, Persseusss. Rumoursss are floating around about you. We know what you did to thosse people. And we know you liked it." I was able to find where the voice was coming from, and I thrust my sword hilt deep into the dracnae.

"You don't know anything about me!" I yelled and swung at the golden dust making its way to the floor. I started to pant really quickly and my palms were sweaty. I started to shake and I realized something. I was having a panic attack.

After calming down and convincing myself that no monsters knew what I did, I went back to the lake. I had a few hours to sleep at best. I walked in and let myself relax with the familiar atmosphere. I took a deep breathe, yeah kind of weird to do underwater, and let myself float.

"Jeffrey, do you mind waking me up at 7:30?" I asked the Giant Squid.

'Anything for you, my lord.' He responded in my head. I nodded and let myself fall to sleep.

I woke up screaming and thrashing around on the floor of the lake. I felt suffocated in my usually welcomed environment. I calmed myself down. Why was I having nightmares? Surely Hecate had done her magic so Tartarus was no longer in my dreams. Perhaps I was too far away from the room. Yeah.. that must be it.

'Or maybe she wants you to suffer.' The voice said. I didn't respond because that's what I was thinking. I know it's usually a dangerous sign to have voices in your head, especially if they tell you to blood bend people, but it was comforting in an odd way. It knew how I felt and didn't judge me.

I stretched and swam my way to shore, stopping to tell Jeffrey I had woken up earlier than expected. I looked at my reflection in the water. My hair was usually messed up in a cute way, but now it looked like I got into a fight with a pillow. My eyes had some bags under them, which was probably the Curse of Achilles telling me to sleep some more. My actual eyes looked crazed and confused. In total, I looked like a mess.

I took my time getting to the Great Hall. The reason I slept in the lake was to try and cleanse myself for one. I felt dirty after last night, and I still do. Secondly, I didn't want to face anybody. No doubt Annabeth had informed the others what happened. I didn't want to see their looks of horror or petty when I woke up.

I walked into the Great Hall to see a couple of people at each table. I sat at the far end of the Gryffindor table and loaded up my plate. I would have made a sacrifice to the gods, but Leo wasn't here. And honestly, I didn't feel like I should. Hecate made this sound like it'd be a fun quest, not something that'd bring me more pain.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked, sliding in next to me. I finished my plate and grabbed another, taking my time. She rubbed my back, and I felt myself to start to relax. I was eating with my right hand and holding hers with my left. 

"Annie, did you have any nightmares last night?" It was the first time I've actually talked since yelling at Hecate last night. My voice sounded strained and tired.

"No, did you?" She looked at me with bright grey eyes. I was envious for a second that she slept fine, but mentally shook my head. It was good that she hadn't had any nightmares.

'See? The gods don't care about you.' The voice echoed in my head.

"Yeah." I admitted. I lost my appetite and slid my plate towards Annabeth. She merely pushed it aside and had her full attention on me.

"Was it about Tartarus or last night?" Her voice was soft and wary, as if she expected me to lash out. If it was anyone else, I probably would have.

"I can't remember details, but I'm pretty sure it was when I was torturing Misery. I saw your face looking horrified. That's probably how Harry looked and felt last night. How Severus must have felt when I.." I trailed off. She already knew, there was no point in reminding myself of what I did.

"Why'd you do it?" I looked into her eyes to see them holding back tears. I quickly looked away.

'Because you wanted power. You wanted to let them know who was stronger.' The voice reminded me.

"There was no other choice, Harry almost died." I lied. Hopefully Severus hadn't told Annabeth that I was playing with them... testing how much I was able to control..

"Percy, we're in this together. I love you. You know that right? Hey, Seaweed Brain, look at me. Please." Annabeth pleaded. I turned my head slowly and met her eyes. They were wet and full of deep concern.

"Wise Girl." I croaked. I lifted my hand to her face and cupped her cheek. She was real. She was here to support me.

"When you didn't go to the dorms last night and didn't show this morning, I was worried Percy. Nico told me to give you some space, so I did but I was worried about you." I leaned in and kissed her. She kissed back roughly. I could feel her tears on my face. 

"Your my anchor Annabeth. You're my weak point, but you also make me strong. I need you with me. There's something I'm worried about. There's a voice in-" But I was cut off my an overwhelming pain in my head.

'Now, now Perseus. I thought we were becoming good buddies. I can give you anything you want, but you must stay silent.'

"Percy?" Annabeth asked for the thousandth time that morning.

"Let's go." I took her hand and led her to the Room of Requirements. The room had a king sized bed with a fireplace and a bookshelf. I pulled Annabeth into the bed with me. "I need you." I said, my voice sounding husky.

"I need you too." She whispered in my ear. I wrapped my arms around her and she cuddled into my chest. "What were you saying about a voice?" Her voice sounded muffled through my shirt.

'Tell her and I will make your time in Tartarus look like a vacation.' The voice promised.

"Nothing." I said. She looked up at me, eyebrows hidden behind her bangs.

"What would you say if I didn't believe you?" She asked with a bit of playfulness in her voice.

"Then I'd say you know me too well." I chuckled and kissed her again. At first, it was full of lust and need, but it calmed to a slow and passionate make out session. Once we separated for air, I started to leave kisses down her neck, stopping at the top of her breasts, and kissing back up. I licked and bit gently on a sweet spot on her neck, earning a soft moan from Annabeth. I laughed and we continued kissing. That's how it usually was. We'd tease each other lightly, and have some fun. But we promised each other to stay light in this area until we were sure there was no more danger just in case Annabeth got pregnant. Sure, we used protection the first, and so far last, time we had sex, but condoms weren't always reliable. Thankfully, she wasn't pregnant yet, but planning ahead for any possibilities was important.

"We should get going." I said after about half an hour of just laying there. "Hecate is going to come and teleport us to Mount Olympus."

"Alright." Annabeth yawned. "Let's go meet the others." I nodded my head in agreement, held on tight to her hand, and walked towards the front gates of Hogwarts.

"Hey guys. I didn't see either of you at breakfast, what were you doing?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. I laughed and Annabeth rolled her eyes, though she was blushing slightly.

"Knowing them, Annabeth was probably reading with Percy sleeping next to her." Jason said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Probably." Hazel laughed, Frank laughing besides her.

"Naw. We were engaged in intimate intercourse!" I grinned. Hazel's eyes went wide, her mouth hung open slightly, and she was bright red.

"Seaweed Brain! The poor child." Annabeth tried to suppress a laugh, but she looked at Hazel and lost it.

"I was only kidding." I said in between breathes.

"Percy, please don't scar my sister." Nico said, emerging from the shadows. Although, he was wearing a smirk.

"Sorry Nico." I was glad no one had brought up last night. I was enjoying this time and acting like a regular teenage guy. But as always, all my happy moments were short lived. Severus, Hermione and oh gods, was that Harry? They walked towards us and I shied away, fiddling with Annabeth's hand.

"It's going to be okay." Annabeth murmured in my ear. I just nodded and looked at the floor.

"Everyone gather around." Hecate stood with her arms spread out. "This might be a little disorienting."

Hecate mumbled a spell and a bright light encased us. I stumbled and fell into Annabeth. Harry and Hermione almost fell off of the pathway, but Severus grabbed them by their collars and pulled them back. Leo landed face first, Nico sprawled on top of him. Hazel fell on Frank and he stumbled into me. This was, to say the least, more than a bit disorienting.

After getting our bearings back, we started making our way to the throne room. Satyrs were walking around, playing with their reed pipes, lazing under a tree, or you know, staring at us.

"Is that one you built?" I asked Annabeth, pointing to a statue of Athena that looked like the a Athena Parthenos on Half-blood Hill.

"Yeah. I designed it and helped construct it." Annabeth said waving her hand as if it were nothing. I could tell she was thinking of other buildings she was going to build. I saw her designs on Daedalus' computer, and I have to say they look pretty impressive.

"You built that!?" Hermione asked in complete awe. "This is brilliant. Even better than Hogwarts! Annabeth you've got to show me the designs and everything." 

While the two of them talked, I walked with Harry. "How are you taking all of this?" I asked.

"This is overwhelming. I've never seen a place like this before." Harry managed.

"The gods do like to look flashy."

"So I'm going to meet actual gods?" I guess Severus debriefed him a bit.

"Yeah. Though they aren't the nicest." I said a little darkly, walking ahead to push the doors of the throne room open. Hecate walked passed me and sat in a throne next to Hades. I walked in and kneeled at my father's throne.

"Father." 

"Rise, my son. You should know by now to show respect to Zeus first." I ignored him and sat at the base of his throne. After showing respect to Zeus, the others sat with their respective parents. Harry sat awkwardly at the base of Hecate's throne.

"Order." Zeus commanded, hitting his Master Bolt on the floor. Everyone went silent and looked at the so called King of Gods. "We've come here to once again determine the fate of Poseidon's spawn." The gods mumbled to each other and I rolled my eyes.

"Father, what is there to discuss? I have my hunters doing an important hunt, they may need me." Artemis spoke.

"Perseus has decided on his own to dive into the River Styx. Not only that, but he has been walking a fine line that was crossed yesterday."

"He's taken the Curse of Achilles before, but you didn't say anything." Hermes said, shrugging.

"That was different. We needed his, ah, assistance. I let it slide because we were victorious in the Second Titan War." Zeus gritted his teeth and forced out the words. I smiled smugly.

"There is going to be a war in the wizarding world as well, Zeus. We need him to protect Harry Potter and aid in the downfall of Voldemort." Hecate stated. "If it wasn't for Perseus, Harry might have died last night."

"Here comes our second point. What happened last night was disgraceful." Zeus sneered.

"Or are you afraid that I'm getting too powerful? You're afraid that I'm going to overthrow you. Aren't you, Zeus?" I taunted. The words came out of my mouth before I could process what I was saying. 

"You will learn some respect!" Zeus shouted, though his voice did quaver a little.

"I defeated Ares, the war god, when I was 12! Now that I'm 17, your afraid I'm going to defeat you too! You're scared of getting embarrassed. Embarrassed of getting beaten by a demigod. A child of Poseidon, named after one of your sons, defeating the King of Gods. Correct me if I'm wrong." I was standing up in a defiant stance, cocking an eyebrow. The throne room was silent. The only thing that could be heard was Zeus' Master Bolt cackling with power.

"You dare speak to me like that!?" Zeus shouted, staring daggers at me.

'That's it, go on. Make him make a fool of himself.' The voice encouraged.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have your Master Bolt. If it wasn't for me, Thalia would be dead. If it wasn't for me, you would have destroyed by the Titans! I've been to Tartarus and back. Let me ask you something Zeus. Have you been there? Even Tartarus saw me as a threat! He showed himself to me and honored me by telling me I was a threat. I've seen hell itself and I'm a better leader than you. I made the goddess of Misery beg for mercy! I could show you what it looked like." I laughed like a madman. I could feel the blood in my veins pumping, the roar it made in my ears.

'Let me take over. Embrace the insanity.' The voice cooed. I swayed slightly.

"I will not be insulted in my throne room! I will kill you!" Zeus bellowed, obviously enraged.

"You will not! If you kill me, you will have a war on your hands.  I'm a leader to both the Greeks and the Romans! Kill me, and you'll have to deal with them. Kill them, and who will run your errands? It is you who will respect me!" I broke down in laughter seeing the rage on Zeus' face. He threw his Master Bolt at me. Before I could react, my hand flew in front of me and I caught it.

'Power Perseus. You see, they don't need you. The gods only use you as a pawn. Keep this weapon. It's yours.' The voiced chuckled in my head.

"Thanks for the new weapon, uncle." I mocked, twirling the bolt in my hands. It left red blisters on my hands, but I ignored it.

"Perseus." I turned my head to look straight at Dionysus. Images started swirling in my head and I felt a pain I've never felt before. I blindly threw the bolt, and clutched my head.

'Make him stop!' The voice in my head sneered.

"Stop! Get out of my head!" I cried desperately. Not about Dionysus, but about the voice in my head. "Get out!" I growled.

Dionysus looked away and looked at Zeus. "It's as I feared. Lyssa is possessing him. I've done the best I can, but she's latched herself tightly to him." I groaned and slumped against my father's throne.

"That doesn't sound good. Who's Lyssa?" Leo asked, looking around.

"She's the goddess of insanity." Annabeth mumbled quietly.

"Dionysus, are you sure you can't do anything?" I heard Poseidon ask.

"It would be difficult. But why should I help Peter? Father himself said we should kill him." Now he's back to normal.

"Perseus." Athena emphasized. "Explained why we should help him."

"I could help as well." Apollo chimed in.

"All in favor for killing him?" Zeus asked hopefully. My vision was still blurred, but I saw a few hands go up. "All in favor for helping him?" A majority of the hands went up. "It's been decided. Dionysus and Apollo will work on curing Percy. Meeting adjourned." With that, Zeus stormed off. Literally. The floor shook, thunder was echoing off the walls, and lightning flashed.

"What a drama queen." I spat. A couple of the gods laughed unsurely.

"I say we should party!" Hermes called out. Everyone shuffled out of the throne room and into the courtyard. Music was playing and tables with food appeared.

"Can we talk?" Severus asked. I nodded and he led me to a quieter area.

"I'm sorry about last night." I said, knowing that's why he brought me here.

"I can see now that you weren't in control. I forgive you. I was thinking of going to New Rome to.." I spaced out. I wasn't in control? He thinks I'm not in control of myself?

'That's what they all think. They think your crazy. They think you're even more dangerous because your unpredictable. They fear you.'

And I realized that this was true. The gods were scared of me. I threatened the King of Gods and took his symbol of power. Of course it was wrong of me in a way. But he did deserve it..

".. that might keep you neutralized. What do you think?" Severus' black eyes studied me intently. Neutralize me?

"I am perfectly fine. I'm in control of myself. Last night was an accident, but I do not need to be 'neutralized'. I'm perfectly fine, thank you." I got up and walked around until I spotted Harry.

"What do you think?" I asked from behind. He turned around and jumped, his glasses going askew.

"F-fine. Everything's fine." He stuttered, smiling at me uneasily. I rolled my eyes and grabbed him. I dragged him to a place much more quieter.

"Harry, there's nothing to be scared of. I'm fine. I'm normal. Gods like to exaggerate things. Really. Last night I did lose control a little bit, but I'm fully in control now. I'm getting help from two gods, okay?" Harry studied my face.

"Dude you made my first time meeting gods interesting. Are they usually like this?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Zeus and I have never really gotten along. I was going to explode sooner or later and today was the day. But yeah. They are usually laid back and like to party when they aren't busy making kids or doing their daily jobs."

"Why am I important?" Harry asked, fiddling with his glasses. "I mean, I'm just Harry. I haven't done anything."

"Don't downplay yourself. You managed to get the Philosopher's Stone right? Then you defeated a troll and found the chamber of secrets. You saved your godfather from death, Hades let that go by the way, and your a Triwizard Champion! They may not seem like a big deal, but they are still accomplishments you did. You had help, yes, but so did I most of my life. The ideal number of people for a quest is three and you have Ron and Hermione. You are a wonderful wizard." I praised.

"Thank you. But why me? Why did I have to get the stone? Why was I able to open the chamber of secrets? Why was my name put in the goblet of fire?" Harry sighed and looked to the ground.

"I don't know the details, but there was a prophecy. A prophecy about someone who was going to defeat Voldemort. He got scared and started to kill people. Once he failed to kill you, you became the one the prophecy was about. I've been the main person of prophecies my whole life. They usually have multiple meanings and you won't realize it's completed until you're laying down and relaxing. Don't worry too much about it Harry. I've got your back and I'll be with you every step of the way." I promised.

"As long as you don't go crazy on me." He half joked. I laughed.

"I'm going to get help, don't worry." We sat there for a while, talking about mundane things until Apollo came to me.

"Do you mind if I take Percy?" 

"N-no! Go ahead, I'll be over there!" Harry grinned and ran off.

"Hey Percy, long time no see." Apollo sat down next to me. He was a teenager with golden blonde hair, a perfect tan, and dark forest green eyes. He looked a bit tense, but besides that, Apollo looked as carefree as usual.

"Apollo." I said, already knowing where this was going.

"Look Percy, we just want to help. We want whats best for you. You've already saved our hide a couple of times, it'd only be right if we helped you." Apollo took out what must have been the 'Valdezinator' Leo made for him in Helios.

'You don't need help. You've got me. With my power, I could help you protect your friends. Your family.' Lyssa taunted.

"Thank you for the concern, but now that I know what's going on, I can control it." I stood up and stretched, then walked away looking for Harry once again.

"Hey Hermione, Harry. Wanna take a trip? I was thinking of surprising my mom and my step dad. Thought you'd wanna go cuz I know this is pretty overwhelming." I tossed my arms around them.

"Honestly, I would love to get away from here for a bit. I just met my mother, Athena. Like the actual Goddess of Wisdom. I'm not sure I can cope." Hermione laughed and gave me a grateful look.

"Well Hecate is kind of suffocating. Yeah, she taught me a lot of spells, but this new world of gods and stuff is too much." Harry admitted.

"Alright, let's go." I was also tired of being suffocated. Surely the gods wouldn't notice if we were gone for a few hours.

"You can take the lift to Mount Olympus?" Hermione asked in awe.

"Hm? Oh ya, the elevator. There's a guy at the front desk who has to give you a key card. It's hard to convince him, but everyone in my world knows who me and my friends are. So when I come in, he usually already knows why." I explained, walking out the elevator door with the two wizards.

"Hey Percy. Didn't see you come in!" Chuck, the front desk guy today, said.

"Yeah. Hecate teleported everyone because of the meeting." I walked slightly faster, trying to make it outside before he asked-

"What happened? I see your alive, but Zeus seems pretty pissed off."

"He's just afraid." I called out. People looked at me, but I ushered myself and my friends out. I walked into the closest alleyway and Hermione and Harry looked nervous.

"I haven't seen this many muggles in one place in a long time!" Harry exclaimed, looking behind him.

"Your not going to kill us, right?" Hermione shuffled uneasily.

"Naw, I'm getting our ride." I whistled loudly and waited a minute. Blackjack and Porkipie swept down.

'Hey there boss, what can I do for you?' Blackjack neighed.

"We're gonna go to my mom's. Drop us off at the fire escape, okay?" I asked aloud.

'Sure thing.'

Hermione was still staring, so I had to nudge her with my elbow.

"Harry, since you've flown before, your going to get Porkipie. Hermione and I will get Blackjack."

I helped Hermione on Blackjack, then assisted Harry. I jumped on behind Hermione and we were in the air.

"This is amazing. I usually hate flying, but he's so majestic and handsome!" Hermione ran her hands through Blackjacks mane.

'Someone appreciates how handsome I am.' Blackjack was smug and obviously loved the attention. He then did an unexpected loop. Hermione was holding on, but I wasn't so I was falling. I rolled my eyes, waiting for my Pegasus to catch me. It wasn't until I was ten feet from the ground did he catch me.

"That was bloody amazing. Dangerous, but amazing."

'I like her.'

"You're not getting any donuts. Show off." I chuckled and we made our way to my fire escape with Porkipie right behind.

-Harry Pov-

I've been flying before, but nothing compared to this. Even flying on a Hippogriff wasn't anything like this. I was enjoying the wind running through my hair and realized how much I missed this. I missed flying and feeling free. I looked ahead to see Percy's horse loop and Percy falling. I yelped in surprise, but my horse neighed as if he were laughing. Percy's horse did another flip, then tucked his wings in and dived. Percy landed on him and looked unamused, as if this happened often. I shook my head and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

"Alright guys. We're gonna sneak in through my window and surprise my mom!" Percy had a big smile and waved to his horses. They flew away and Percy opened his window. As quietly as we could, we jumped into his room. I stopped and looked around. He had a bed in the corner, a desk on the opposite side with an office chair, and a drawer with pictures of him and Annabeth.

"Okay follow me." Percy said with a grin. He opened the door and tip toed down the hall. We took a right and crept through the living room into a kitchen.

"Surprise!" Percy shouted. A knife came towards his face, but he caught it by the hilt, his smile didn't even waver.

"Percy, you scared me! I'm so happy to see you! Is your quest over? How'd it go? Did-" Then she saw us. "Percy, would you like to introduce me?"

"Mom, this is a Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." He gestured to each of us. "Guys, this is my mom."

"Hello Ms. Jackson." Hermione held out her hand and I did the same.

"Call me Sally, please." Sally smiled at us and shook our hands.

"Sally, what's going on?" A voice, who must have been Percy's step dad, called.

"Nothing, dear. Percy thought it would have been funny to try to scare us." Sally laughed. She motioned us to follow her to the dining area. There sat a man who looked like a professor, reading a book.

"Ah, hello Percy. It's good to see you. Are these friends from camp?" Mr. Jackson looked at us with interest, as if trying to read us instead of the book.

"Percy how about you sit down and I'll bake us some cookies." We sat down and awaited while Sally baked cookies. She was like a smaller, muggle version of Molly.

"Hey Paul. This is Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Guys, this is my step dad Paul. He teaches English at my regular muggle/ mortal highschool. Paul, these are the wizards we were sent to protect." Immediately, Paul's eyes lit up.

"So, wizards are real. First there are Greek Gods and Percy is half god. He saves the world and kills real, actual monsters. But wizards? What do you guys do?" He learned forward, eyes gleaming. He was like Mr. Weasely, but instead of being interested in muggles, he was interested in wizards.

"Well there are wizard schools and we learn potions and spells. We live normally for the most part and live with muggles, mortals, too." I explained awkwardly.

"Do you guys have a scent to? Do monsters chase after you?"

"No. We don't have a scent, as you put it. However, Dark Wizards do often kill for fun." Hermione and Paul went into discussions about the wizarding world and about America.

"So Percy," Sally put a tray of blue cookies in front of us. "what are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, but you're usually with Annabeth." I grabbed a cookie and took a bite out of it. The chocolate chips melted in my mouth and it tasted wonderful.

"Zeus called a meeting." Percy said nonchalantly, grabbing a cookie and stuffing it in his mouth.

"Zeus? Oh gods, what have you done now?" She learned forward and cupped her son's cheek. At this, Paul stopped talking and looked at us.

"Oh, you know. The usual." Percy looked slightly nervous, fiddling with his pen.

"Hmm. Is your quest over? Hecate said it'd take a few years, maybe. Did you have any flashbacks? Or attacks? Percy, what's wrong. Something's wrong." Sally took Percy's hands that were trembling. I looked at Hermione, asking her what to do.

"The quest isn't over mom. Zeus called a meeting, so we had to attend." Percy said vaguely, shoving a cookie into his mouth.

"Okay, but why?" Paul put a hand on Percy's shoulder.

"For one, it was because I dipped into the Styx. The other reason is because I have a god of insanity inside my head and I had a flashback, then panicked, allowing me to blood bend people. One of them was a fellow demigod." Percy rushed through his words, fiddling with his pen even more.

"Ever since the Giant War.. Apollo said he'd help with that, didn't he? Hypnos was also going to help with your dreams. Annabeth Iris Messaged me, telling me you should stay home. But I didn't listen. I should have listened." Sally then clung onto Percy and wept. Paul hugged her from behind and muttered soothing words.

"Has this happened before?" Hermione asked shyly.

"After the war, monsters put in a last ditch effort to destroy half-bloods. After the Romans left Camp Half-Blood, they attacked. I was finally feeling the effects of Tartarus and war, so I had nightmares. Our campers were still recovering as well, so I took the lead. There were only about a thousand monsters or so, and about 300 of us. We were doing good for the first couple of monsters, but our ranks were broken. I couldn't get everyone together, so we were slowly being overrun. I was sleep deprived from the nightmares I get, and that caused me to get stabbed. Nothing to deep, I was still able to move. However, I panicked. I remembered that time when I was at the Doors of Death and dropped my sword. I remembered feeling helpless against an army of monsters. I remembered seeing the primordial god, Tartarus. I also then remembered how I fought against them. I used the rivers of the underworld. Still in my flashback, I thought I was using the rivers to destroy the monsters. But in reality, I was using monsters to fight against themselves. Which doesn't seem too bad, but an occasional demigod would be under my control. After the battle was finished, everyone stared at me as if I was a monster. I didn't understand why since I had my sword in my hand with golden dust on it. Hecate then appeared and altered everyone's memories but Annabeth and mine. After that, she got Apollo and Hypnos to help me get back on my feet. Thankfully, she was fast enough for Zeus to not take notice, but the damage was already done." Percy concluded, a far away look on his face.

"Oh." Was all I managed. I was again reminded of how scary Percy could be, even if he was trying to. I looked over at Hermione again, she had the same look more or less.

"Tell us about yourselves. Wizards aren't something we come across everyday." Paul laughed.

"My name is Harry Potter. I got this scar on my forehead from this dark wizard who killed my parents. He used an unforgivable curse that kills people once it hits them. There is no counter curse. I was the only one who survived it for some reason, but Percy was hit with like 50 of them and survived. I didn't find out I was a wizard until I was 11. I got my Hogwarts letter and was picked up by my friend Hagrid. He showed me around the wizarding areas in London. When I went on the Hogwarts Express, I met Ronald Weasley. Then at school, Ron said something to Hermione and she ran off into the bathrooms. A troll was let into the dungeon and me, Ron, and Hermione defeated it. We also had to pass obstacles to get the Philosopher's Stone. That's when I met Voldemort again. I was able to escape with the stone.

"In my second year, there was a giant snake who went after people who were muggleborn. With the help of Hermione and Ron, I found the Chamber of Secrets. There I met an early echo of Voldemort sort of. He sent the snake after me, and I killed him with the Sword of Gryfindor. I was able to get rid of Tom Riddle's, Voldemort's, diary. 

"Third year, everyone believed Sirius Black was after me. I didn't know this at the time, but he's my godfather. He was going after Ron's rat which was a Death Eater. He's a wanted criminal, and we saved his life. We kind of went back in time to save him, but of course no one else knows.

"Now in my fourth year, my name was put in the Goblet of Fire. I had to compete in the Triwizard Tournament and yeah." I summed up. Sally looked at me with respect and kindness instead of the usual looks of awe, which I appreciated.

"Are you going to go to camp? Tyson's there. He stopped by yesterday, but I told him you were on a quest." Sally cleaned up the cookie tray and headed over to the sink to wash it.

"Do you guys want to go to see my camp? You'll get to see more demigods in their natural habitat." Pery laughed and winked.

As we cleaned up and headed for Percy's room, a golden light filled the room. A teenager, who if I remember right was Apollo, stood in the middle of the room looking around.

"I'll never get used to that." Paul had his mouth open, eyes bulging.

"Ah there you are Percy! I've brought you the medicine. Harry, Hermione, if you could ah just hold him down?" The god's voice was slightly shaky. I grabbed Percy's right arm, Hermione the left, although Percy wasn't restraining.

"What's going on?" Sally asked.

"Yes, hello Sally. Long time no see. Your son just needs some medicine, nothing's going on." Apollo took Percy's chin and pulled down gently, opening his mouth. Apollo then pulled out a vial with a gold, purple tint. He then quickly dumped it into Percy's mouth and stepped back. Percy started to shake slightly, then he started to burn up. He ripped his arms out of our grips and clutched his head. He stumbled into the wall.

"What's going on? What's happening?" Sally was obviously anxious and Apollo wrapped his arm around her gingerly. Paul looked dumfounded and just stared at Percy.

"This should work. It's nothing to worry about, he just has a god of insanity in him. I think I have a haiku for this-"

"Right now is not the time for your haiku's, Lord Apollo." Sally said with a soft smile, though her eyes still looked worried.

I turned to look at Percy who was still shaking slightly. He blinked his eyes and looked around. Suddenly, a blue wave came from him and hit everyone in the room. Instead of doing us any harm, we saw his memories.

First thing I saw was him fighting a bull. Then a big buff guy with fire in his eyes. He was crossing a river, dead people roaming around. Percy was suddenly a small rodent, then he was running from a giant with one huge eye. He was holding up the sky, then saw his friend die. He was in some kind of underground maze, then was outside fighting an army of monsters. He was jumping over a side of a ship then it exploded behind him. He was commanding an army of teenagers, then fighting an army of monsters. He was drinking poison and battling more monsters. He was fighting teenagers and inside an aquarium. Then, he was falling. He was falling into darkness with Annabeth. They walked through what looked like hell. He was chased and cornered and scared. Very scared. I felt all his negatives emotions. Grief, anguish, anger. It made my head spin. Then all at once, everything stopped. Percy fell onto his couch, a smile plastered on his face.

"Didn't realize it was that bad. Thankfully, Dionysus was kind enough to help me out. He'll be fine, he just needs to rest." Apollo assured. He said goodbye and disappeared in a flash of golden light.

"Is he the ones with the bad poems?" Paul asked, awkwardly sitting down next to Percy.

"Isn't he the god of poetry? How's he bad at it?" Hermione asked, looking genuinely confused.

"I've only met Lord Apollo three times, but his poetry skills aren't anything to brag about." Sally laughed and waved her hand.  
"Well, make yourself at home. Percy can sleep all day if he wanted to, especially since he has the Curse of Achilles."

"Thank you, Sally. I did have a question about this whole demigod thing.." While Hermione chatted with Paul and Sally, I sat there thinking. It's so bizarre that one moment I was a kid, being looked down upon by my family. Then I was a famous wizard who defeated Lord Voldemort as a baby. But now I'm Harry Potter, child of a prophecy and have people who are half gods as friends. Then my best friend turned out to be a daughter of wisdom, though that did make some sense. My potions professor, who I thought hated me, actually protected me the whole time I was at Hogwarts. Then Malfoy of all people was related to Hermione on the godly side and didn't actually hate me either. Life was strange.

/Time skip, two days before 5th year starts, at Sirius's place/

I was laying down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My summer with the Durseley's was good because Percy visited me every single day. Nico did visit once or twice a week. They probably used the Mist to convince the Durseley's to let them come over, or probably threaten them. Most likely the first option. Dudley was smart enough to lay off the insults because he found Percy intimidating, which was a bonus for me.

While Percy was over, we would walk around town and go to shops and see the sights. Once in a while a huge, black dog would attack us, but Percy would whip out his sword and kill it no problem.

There was a little bump in the road though. Percy, Nico, and I were walking back from the park after a long day of watching them kill monsters. We were walking down the road when it suddenly went freezing cold. The surrounding area went pitch black, not a single star in the sky. I then remembered that this has happened to be back in my third year. Dementors were nearby. I grabbed my wand and looked around, trying to see through the darkness.

"W-what's going on? Nico? Harry? Help. Help me! It's Nyx, she's angry. She-" Then Percy stumbled into me. I awkwardly held onto him. He was taller than me, but he went onto his knees and clutched my arm tightly. I couldn't mutter a spell, but that didn't matter.

"I am Nico di Angelo, Son of Hades, and the Ghost King. You will serve me!" The darkness wavered and it became regular night time. Two dementors were struggling on the floor, flickering. Nico had his arms outstretched, beads of sweat trailing down his face.

"Harry?" Percy stuttered, looking up at me. I forgot about him momentarily, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Begone!" Nico shouted, and the dementors disappeared. He collapsed on the floor.

"What happened?" Percy rubbed his eyes and looked over at Nico. "Nico?" He got up and ran over to his friend. He fed him some of their godly food and Nico's color came back.

Even now, after knowing about their godlyness for a while, I find it all bizarre. The half-bloods would share their stories and adventures about their life's while Hermione and I listened in awe. 

Hermione had convinced Annabeth to let Ron know the truth, and that was a funny day. It was me, Percy, Annabeth, Hermione, Leo, and Ron sitting in the guy's bedroom. We were chatting with each other, until Annabeth cleared her throat.

"Ron we are half-bloods. Half human, half god. We came here to protect you and to kill Voldemort. Hermione is also like us, so is Draco, Severus, and Neville." Annabeth then turned and talked to Percy like nothing happened.

"W-wait. What?" Ron looked beyond dumbfounded. "Half what? Blimey, that was real funny you guys." He then laughed unsurely.

"Half god bro! It has its perks, but we constantly get attacked by monsters who want to kill us. These guys have their swords and daggers, but me? I got this!" Leo then proceeded to burst into flames and waved around a 3 pound hammer he pulled from his tool belt. I scrambled back, hitting my back against the wall. I've seen Leo use his fire before, but not burst into flames and run around. Hermione also yelped and pulled out her dagger that was in her holster. Ron, however, yelled bloody murder and ran out of the room.

"I think he believes us now." Percy joked, dousing Leo with water from our cups.

"You've probably scared him off." Hermione sighed and shook her head. I chuckled in agreement.

"You should have done it yourself if you really wanted him to know." Annabeth smirked, cleaning her knife with a rag.

"Yeah.. I should have." Hermione smiled and rested her head against the wall.

It's been a couple of days since then. Ron's been trying to avoid them, especially Leo, since then. But yesterday, Percy suggested he teach us hand to hand combat.

"'Beth can teach 'Mione how to use her knife, and I can teach you and Ron how to fight. You might not be in a punching match with Voldemort, but it's useful in getting your reflexes and strength up." Percy said. After persuading Ron, he finally agreed. We both did absolutely terrible the first day, having no strength or agility. But by the end of the day, I was sore, tired, and happy with what I learned.

"Guys come down, we're going to Diagon Alley to get school supplies!" Mrs. Wesley's voice called out. I got up, stretched, and pulled on a clean shirt. I walked downstairs where Ron, Ginny, Percy, Annabeth, Hermione, and Sirius stood. 

"You guys are going to get your school supplies. Be good, okay?" Mrs. Weasley said, putting floo powder in our hands.

"When have we ever caused trouble?" Percy asked with a smirk. We all laughed and he yelled 'Diagon Alley' then he was gone. It wasn't until we were at the book shop that I noticed Sirius casually walking next to us.

"Um Sirius, isn't it a bit dangerous to be walking out in the open like this?" I asked. Realization dawned on Hermione and Ron's faces.

"Well you see, Albus went to the graveyard to try and find evidence to convince people that Voldemort is back. He found um.." He looked over at Percy who was also listening. Knowing what he meant, Percy lowered his head with a sad expression. "He found Wormtail's body. After a lot of arguing, and a long trial, the council found me innocent so now I can go outside freely again!" Sirius exclaimed, clapping his hands.

"Man that's awesome. See killing Peter wasn't all bad, right Percy?" Ron smiled and nudged Percy's arm. Hermione slapped Ron's arm with a face saying 'shut up'.

"Two wars.. I've been in two wars. I didn't kill any demigods because I knew they weren't in their right mind. They were children! And the Romans, well I lived with them for a while. I couldn't have killed them! But one goddess made me kill a man. Sure, he wasn't innocent, but was it worth it?" Percy's eyes searched ours, as if looking for an answer. 

"Yes, Percy it is. Sirius is a free man now. We know what it's like to be trapped somewhere for what seems like forever. But now, he can go outside again without hiding. Isn't that worth it?" Annabeth asked in a soft, calm voice.

"Yes. I guess so."

The rest of the day went without incident. Annabeth and Percy both gave us 20 galleons each, seeing as they have an overwhelming amount. We got new robes, our books, and we even got some ice cream. Nothing dramatic happened until we were back at Sirius' playing wizards chess. The room dropped a couple of degrees and Nico stumbled in through the wall. He clutched Percy's and Annabeth's arms, urgency in his eyes.

"We need to talk. Now." He cast me a fearful look, and dragged our two friends through the wall. And just like that, they were gone.

"What'd you reckon that was about? Bloody crazy, he is." Ron said, detaching himself from the wall.

"Did you see the look he gave you Harry? I wonder what that's all about." Hermione wondered out loud. I nodded my head. Nico was a son of Hades, god of the underworld. Whatever could scare him.. got me concerned. Was it something to do with me? Before I could think too much, my scar started to blaze. Darkness seeped into my vision and before I knew it, I passed out.

\---------

A/N Here are reasons why I haven't uploaded:  
°I'm taking hard classes  
°I got food poisoning over the weekend  
°I sprained my writing wrist. So it takes twice as long to do my work. And sorry, but school goes first.  
°I go to practice after school  
°My phones broken and only works when it feels like it.

So yeah, sorry about not uploading. I've had things to do, or things have prevented me from writing this chapter. It's kind of a filler. They go to Hogwarts again next chapter.

Questions, suggestions? All ears open! I got a good amount of ideas from Kmyllinha on here. Soo yeah, see you probably next week.


	10. We're Heroes, It's What We Do

-Percy P.O.V-

Nico took me and Annabeth into a dark room, probably in some empty house nearby.

"You know how Hades sent me on a quest?" Nico asked us, running his hands through his hair.

"Yeah..." I exchanged a look with Annabeth.

"He's had me looking for these things called Hocruxes. They are basically objects that contain a piece of a person's soul. Voldemort cut his soul into 7 pieces and put them into objects, killing many people to do so. My father had me looking for the objects. He taught me a ritual on how to destroy them. I found most of the objects. Some of them are at Hogwarts, so I was gonna destroy them when I get there. Voldemort's snake also has a piece of his soul, which I find odd, but whatever. The last Horcrux... well Harry has a piece of Voldemort's soul inside of him. I asked my dad about it, and he said it must have happened when Voldemort tried to kill Harry. The object has to be destroyed in order for the Horcrux to be destroyed. So the only way to truly kill Voldemort is to kill Harry." Nico concluded.

"I'm sure we can kill him and your dad can bring him to life of something." I said. Surely if Hecate and Nico asked, Hades could pull some strings.

"You're crazy." Nico shook his head and looked at me with bewildered eyes. "I don't think my dad would be too generous." 

"If we just, you know, stab him really quickly with your sword, everything will be fine! Your sword absorbs people's shadows and essence or something, right?"

"Oh my gods Percy." Annabeth rolled her eyes and chuckled quitely.

"I'm not going to stab him Percy!" Nico sighed and shook his head, a slight smile on his face.

"But-"

"I think I will find a way, Percy. I just have to talk to Will, Hecate, and my dad. Maybe there will be a loop hole or something. But if his scar hurts, irritates him, anything, you better tell me. Okay?" 

"Alright, alright. No stabbing him on purpose." I joked. Nico smiled. Ever since the war was over, Nico got into the habit of smiling more often, which was actually a nice change. "About the other Hocruxes, do you need help? Or are you able to do it yourself?"

"I might need help locating one of them, but besides that, I should be fine. Don't worry, if something comes up, I'll tell you guys." Nico leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, taking a deep breathe.

"Nico, have I ever scared you before? Not like a joke, but have I ever done anything to actually frighten you?" I asked. After spending my days with Harry, my dad would summon me to his palace to train me physically and mentally, so I could control my powers. 

"Hey son. How are you?" He'd ask everyday. And everyday I'd always respond with;

"I'm doing fine, Father." But honestly I wasn't doing fine. I spent my days with Harry to try to ease my anxiety. Annabeth would visit as often as she could, but she was usually with her mom or Hermione or both. Being with Harry felt normal. I felt like a normal teenager for a while, laughing and playing games. But of course, monsters were restless and never stopped trying to kill me. They'd taunt me in Greek, reminding me of Tartarus. I usually was able to ignore it and kill the the monster to protect the mortals and Harry. But there was one time I faltered.

/Flashback inside a flashback?/

It was one of those rare days when Hermione came over. We were walking around at the park, laughing and making jokes about the newest Dr. Who episode. (Yes, Harry would like to binge watch it since he had freedom from his family. I got dragged into it and eventually fell in love. Leo did have to come over to fix the TV because of the monsters it attracted, but that's a different story.) I was on the swings, Harry next to me, Hermione standing off to the side.

"Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, pulling out her knife from her holster.

"Hear what?" I asked lazily. Since Hermione was here, she could take care of the monster. After all, she had been training a lot. Harry seemed more concerned than me, but kept his calm and scanned the area.

"You haven't forgotten about me, dear Perseus?" A cold voice echoed around the surrounding area. The kids, along with their guardians, starting to get their things to leave. I'm not sure what they saw, but it was obviously more than an average monster because the mortals usually didn't act this way.

"W-who are you?" Hermione stuttered and had her knife pointed in a direction out of my peripheral vision.

"You think you're too mighty to acknowledge me, Perseus? I don't think I should have to remind you the last time we met." The Titan's voice was steely calm and I could tell he was smiling.

"You don't. You made a very nice oak tree." I laughed, though I was slightly shaking. I grabbed Riptide in pen form and started to twirl it on my fingers.

"Enough! This time you don't have an army to control. You don't have any reinforcements. This is a battle to the death!" Hyperion beamed, literally. Hermione covered her eyes and stood in front of Harry. I uncapped my sword and swung in the direction the voice was coming from.

"How are you here? I defeated you!" I growled, ducking a beam of fire.

"You want to know how I escaped Tartarus?" Hyperion drawled, a smile on his face. "How I was able to escape Iapetus and Tartarus? You know, I saw him die. After you and your girlfriend were safe, he began to cry. He began to thank the gods and pray for you. He was the one who called the gods to help you against Gaea. I saw him get torn to pieces by Tartarus. He was begging for his life. You should have seen the look on his face when it was Damasean's weapon who killed him. He-"

"Stop it!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Tears were streaming down my face and the water fountains were shaking, most likely responding to my anguish. "Your lying! Bob would not- Damasean- your lying!" I charged and started to slash with my sword. A hurricane formed around me from the water in the water fountains and the dew from last night's rain. 

"I could replicate what I saw with your friends." He managed, laughing hysterically. I was shaking and kept attacking. I kept going until he finally said;

"Bob didn't like you. He hated you. He cursed you and wishes for your death." I stumbled backwards and I hit a pole. He was bluffing, right? Bob.. he wouldn't. We were friends. My hurricane disappeared and my head was spinning.

"Percy, he's lying! Bob risked his life for you, he knew you were a good guy." Hermione shouted and rushed towards Hyperion, who at the moment was encased in a water lock.

"Bob.." I croaked out. I was on my knees, clutching my head. I could feel a pulling sensation in my gut as more and more water surrounded the Titan. Images of Bob flashed through my head. I was using the Lethe to wash his memory, then leaving him behind to serve Hades. I was being healed by Bob, his smile making me feel warm and safe. He was watching as the curses attacked me and Annabeth. I could understood his confusion and betrayal. I didn't mean to forget him. I was busy with the war, then getting my memories taken away... Now I was running into the Doors of Death and I last saw Bob with a grim expression, ready to fight the hoards of monsters.

"Percy?!" Harry was struggling to reach towards me. My hurricane came back and was protecting me from Hyperion's attacks. The water hit me in my face and I felt my anger return. I sent a wave of water to hit the Titan, but he was able to deflect it. Although he took most of the damage, he hit the water towards Harry. I was too focused to even think about protecting Harry. I charged at Hyperion, stabbing my sword hilt deep into his chest. Hermione came, with a very frightened look, and started to attack a very angry Titan.

"Harry?" I checked his pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was strong. He looked dazed, but seemed fine besides that.

"Let's not do that again." He managed, giving me a weak smile. My hands were shaking as I pulled back his hair to see his face. He was pale, but would make it.

"Noooo!" I turned to see Hermione decapitating Hyperion. My water finally disappeared from keeping him in a cage and Hermione went in for the kill. She was holding the head with disgust as the Titan returned to hell, hopefully for a long time.

"That was bloody brilliant, 'Mione!" I exclaimed. Harry and I walked over to Hermione and she stood and stared at the head she was holding.

"Why isn't it disappearing?" Harry asked, examining the head.

"Spoil of war." Hermione squeaked. I laughed and took the head gingerly from her fingers. 

"This is pretty valuable. It could sell for a lot and it could be a last minute, last resort sacrifice to a god if we need help." I answered their questioning looks and plopped it into my Tardis like backpack. (Thanks Leo).

"I know you haven't really shared too much information about what happened to you in, you know, but the sacrifice your friend made was worth it." Harry encouraged, taking his glasses off to clean the water off.

"Percy, I know this isn't a good time, but you defeated him long ago, yes? Then why, or how, did he manage to come back and find you in London of all places?" Hermione looked around shakily, trying to see if there were any more threats.

"Styx. Just my luck. If someone is summoning my old foes and sending them to my location... well let's just hope the gods are with us." I said wearily.

/Let's just go back to talking with Nico/

"Percy?" Nico was sitting in front of me, concern laced in his voice. Annabeth was also calling my name, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Huh?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Your eyes kinda glossed over and you were clutching your fists." I looked down to see faint nail marks on my palms.

"Oh."

"To answer your questions, there's been a couple of times you've scared me. I remember after you took a dip in the Styx the first time and almost stabbed my father, you looked murderous. It had scared me because you were my hero at the time and you were already angry at me and I thought you might kill me instead. Then that time after the Romans left and the monsters attacked.. Yes I know Hecate erased everyone's memories, but she probably forgot I was there or something. I can't think of anything else. But Percy, your a good guy. Everyone can trust you with their lives because they know that your a kind hearted person. You can never go dark side Percy. You'll be fine."

I stayed quite for a little while. "Have you guys ever heard the saying 'You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain'? What if that happens me?" I looked at him with desperate eyes because ever since I heard that saying, I've been thinking about non stop.

"There are plenty of people who stay heroes. Look at Odysseus for example. He didn't come home for 20 years-"

"Because he angered my dad," I mumbled.

"-but he still remained humble. He never turned bad once, though he could have. Batman's a hero! He's never turned bad either, has he?"

"Two-face did," I shot.

"I'm not talking about him, I'm talking about Batman. The point Percy, is that you deserve a good life. And your gonna get a great one after this wizard stuff is dealt with. If not, I'll make certain the gods make the rest of your and Annabeth's lives Elysium." Nico had determination oozing off of him and I knew he was sincere.

"Don't strain yourself." Annabeth joked. Nico just rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. 

"Thanks, bro. We should probably head back. I'm pretty sure you gave everyone a fright," I smiled and helped lift Nico up.

"True. I'm gonna drop you guys off, then I'm gonna go talk to Hecate about the Horcruxes." He grabbed my arm with his left and Annabeth's with his right and ran into the wall.

One thing about Nico, he can be quite literal. When he said 'drop us off', he meant it. We fell from the ceiling and crashed onto the checker table where Sirius, Hermione, Ron, Leo, and Harry sat deep in conversation.

"Thanks for dropping by guys." Leo grinned. Obviously he just had to make a joke.

"Sorry about that. Sirius, do you mind leaving? We need to chat with Harry for a while." Annabeth said kindly. Sirius glanced around then nodded his head, saying something about playing chess with Lupin.

"So, uh, what's up?" Harry tried to sound casual, but I could tell he was anxious to know what was up.

"We should go outside for a walk while we discuss things. You'll need fresh air while you receive the news." Annabeth smiled kindly and we walked outside after telling Molly where we were headed.

"Hey, actually, you don't mind if I go, right? I kinda promised Calypso I'd, well you know, be with her today." Leo blushed and fiddled with a mechanical bird in his hands.

"Sure, go for it," I smiled. Festus was hidden in a nearby forest, so Leo said his goodbyes and left.

"I wonder what she's like, that Calypso girl," Ron pondered out loud. "I mean, I've never met her and she seems like a wonderful person."

"Um, yeah. She's, well you know. Nice and all. Unless you leave her on an island and she gets butt hurt and curses you and your girlfriend. Then when your in freaking Tartarus and you start getting attacked by curses-"

"She's a nice person, Ron. Percy and I just had a misunderstanding with her," Annabeth slapped my arm. 

"Besides all that, she is kind. Her and Leo are good together." I mumbled. Ron looked confused and just dropped the topic.

"So the whole point we're on this walk is because of me, right? What did Nico tell you?" My ADHD had allowed me to forget about the Horcruxes.

"Well.." Then Annabeth went into detail explaining everything Nico had been telling us while I just stared at her face. I knew Annabeth was beautiful, but when she's speaking about something important, like war stuff, her eyebrows slightly scrunch up and her grey eyes become hard and focused. Her mouth is always slightly in a smile because she's always looking forward to fighting the battle and she's confident in her plan. Her hair is usually pulled up in a ponytail, which adds to beauty. 

"You wanted to stab me?!" Harry looked at me with amused bewilderment. 

"Huh? Oh yeah! It would be quick and painless, don't worry. I wouldn't have stabbed you in the heart or anything. Just gonna get that Moldy guy outta your head." I smiled and threw my arm around Annabeth.

"Okay, let me make sure I got this right. Harry has a part of You-Know-Who in him and that's the reason Harry's scar hurts. That's also why he can talk to snakes, because You-Know-Who can too, right? Blimey, this is too much." Ron shook his head and looked beyond confused.

"At least we know now. Imagine if we didn't find out until later. You also said Nico had it under control? So the only thing we have to worry about right now is if Harry scar hurts, right? At least now we can focus on our academics! This is a relief." Hermione smiled and clapped her hands together.

"You're mad, 'Mione. School isn't everything! Bloody hell women," I laughed. Harry and Ron snickered along.

"Listen dude. Without school, you won't be able to get a good job! You want to work at McDonald's forever?" She looked at me as if I had just told her I joined Voldemort's cause.

"Wait." Annabeth put her hands up and stepped in-between us. "Something's different about the two of you. Hmm.." She looked deep in thought and was looking at us with scrutinizing eyes.

"They don't seem any different." Harry shrugged.

"Aha!" Annabeth snapped her fingers and faced me. "You're getting an English accent! It's making its way into your speech! Since when do you say 'bloody'? And you!" She turned and looked at Hermione, "You're getting a New Yorker accent. Very, very faint. You can barely notice it, but you said 'dude'! Gotta admit, it sounded strange coming from you." Annabeth laughed as if she has just figured out the meaning of life.

"Hmm, I guess. Now that you point it out, I see Percy's getting an accent. But Hermione? Not sure if I'd like the change." We all laughed, even Hermione, although her cheeks were flushed.

-Harry P.O.V-

After we got off of the Hogwarts express, I looked around for Hagrid. I wasn't able to find him anywhere, which slightly dampened my mood. Ron nudged my arm and we headed toward a carriage.

"Wow, what's that horse that's pulling the carriage?" I asked as I climbed on.

"Harry, you feeling okay? There are no horses, remember? The carts pull themselves." Hermione looked at me with concern. I looked back at the horses. They looked pretty real.

"We see 'em too." Hazel spoke up.

"But there's nothing there." Ron echoed.

"Oh." Percy said. He slumped his shoulders and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "They are called Threstals. You can only see them if you've.. seen someone died." The atmosphere suddenly became tense and the silence became heavy.

"Where's Jason?" Hermione asked as we were nearing the castle. Just now I realized that he and Frank weren't here.

"Reyna, the Praetor at Camp Jupiter, couldn't run the camp for another full year. Frank had to stay to fulfill his duties, which we can understand, since we don't want another Octavian." A chorus of groans came from the demigods. "And Jason wanted to finish his job of recognizing the gods, so he stayed behind. But if we need their help, they'll be able to come," Piper concluded just as we reached the castle.

"Are you guys going to get sorted?" Hermione asked as we walked in the castle.

"Actually, yeah. We're gonna go meet up with Professor McGonagall. Save a spot for me," Percy winked. He and the others walked the opposite direction as Hermione, Ron, and I took our seats at the Great Hall.

After the first years were seated, I waited eagerly at the edge of my seat to see the demigods get sorted.

"Any one who wants to go first can go." Professor McGonagall said with a smile, obviously amused with their anxiousness.

"I guess, I'll go first." Percy shrugged. Claps resonated throughout the Hall since Percy was the TwiWizard champion alongside me.

Percy sat on the chair and awkwardly put the Sorting Hat on. His face immediately turned into one of horror and tried to throw the hat off of his head, but it didn't budge. I thought his face would turn back into one of calm, but it went from horror to anxiety then back to horror.

"Don't do it." Percy said through gritted teeth. I shared a confused look with my friends then looked back to the stool. Immediately the Sorting Hat stiffened, screamed, and flew off Percy's head.

"GRYFFINDOR, GRYFFINDOR, JUST MAKE IT STOP!" The hat shrieked. Percy got off, stark white, and made his way next me.

"T-told you to save me a seat," He said in a shaky voice. Everyone was still staring at him until we heard a cough come from the staff table.

"Tell me why, what's your name?" A women who looked like a pink toad asked in a shrilly voice.

"Percy Jackson."

"Mr. Jackson, please tell me why, the hat jumped off of your head, looking as scared as a hat can look?" She had a fake smile on and her eyes looked venomous.

"Now, now Dolores. Let's move on to the next student. Annabeth?" Dumbledore said in an authoritative tone.

Annabeth took a nervous glance around, picked up the hat, walked to the stool, and put it on. Her face more or less showed the same expressions as Percy did.

"I wouldn't do that-!" Annabeth tried to warn the hat, but apparently the hat didn't listen.

"GRYFFINDOR! ARE YOU ALL LIKE THIS! OFF!" The hat once again vaulted itself into the air and shivered. Annabeth was very pale, and sat next to Percy.

"Mhm." Dolores said again. We all looked up, knowing what she'd ask.

"Annabeth Chase, ma'am." 

"Why, Miss Chase, did the hat have the same reaction as it did with Mr. Jackson?" Came the toad women's voice. I already knew I wasn't going to like her very much. "The hat looks into your thoughts and memories. I wonder what's in there?"

"Dolores leave the children alone. They've been through two wars. You can't blame them for having terrible memories." Mumbling erupted throughout the Hall.

"What the Hades!" Percy growled, clutching his fists. "That was private information!"

I looked up at the staff table and Snape- Severus- was also glaring daggers at Dumbledore. Although, Dumbledore didn't seem fazed at all.

"Two wars? And Mr. Jackson claims he saw Voldemort come back. No wonder he thinks that, the poor child is messed up in the head." Dolores chuckled in that disgustingly high pitched laughed.

"Don't. Say. I'm. Messed. Up. In. The. Head!" Percy once again growled and was standing up, glaring icicles at the women. The Great Hall was shaking slightly, the windows rattled and rain started to pelt them. I looked up at the ceiling and grey storm clouds decorated the sky.

"Percy, it's okay. Just sit down." Annabeth cooed. Percy took a deep breath and sat down. Immediately the rain and shaking ceased. The sky went back to being cloudless, stars shining bright.

"L-let's continue with the Sorting!" Professor McGonagall looked anxious. She grabbed the hat and shoved it on Leo's head. 

After a couple of seconds, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" Leo shrugged and handed the hat to Hazel.

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted after about 30 seconds. A couple of gasps were heard. They were probably wondering how a little girl so innocent looking as Hazel, was able to get into that House. Although, I was able to understand the reasoning as Hazel can control the Mist and get what she wanted if she really desired to.

Piper then took the hat and put it on. Piper took longer to sort, about a minute and a half, until finally the hat bellowed, "HUFFLEPUFF!" That came as a shock for me, but again I thought it over. Piper was a very loyal, hard-working, patient, and dedicated person.

Nico then placed the hat on his head and right away it choose slytherin. Probably it was a Hades thing because Snape, Severus whatever, was also in Slytherin. But then again, they were all ambitious and pretty resourceful.

Before the feast started, Dumbledore stood up to make a speech. "As you have noticed, we have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Umbridge-"

"Excuse me, thank you." Umbridge stood up and started going on and on about stupid stuff I wasn't even listening to. When she finished, Dumbledore continued talking.

"Hagrid is currently on vacation and for a replacement, we welcome back Professor Grubblyplank. Now, may the feast begin!"

We all cheered and dug in. I was chatting aimlessly with Ron and Hermione, who were sitting across from me, when I realized Percy wasn't eating. Which was strange, especially since the Curse of Achilles usually made him constantly hungry.

"Hey man, you okay?" I looked at him and noticed he suddenly had dark bags under his eyes.

"Fine. I'm gonna head up and go to bed. Goodnight." He said his goodbyes to his friends and headed towards Gryffindor tower.

"It's just the Sorting Hat, to try and get us in the right House, looked deeper in our memories, although we told it not to. With Percy I'm guessing it was having trouble with either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, so it looked deeper. It probably saw Tartarus and that night at the Graveyard. For me, it couldn't decide on Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Gryffindor. But again it saw Tartarus. I'm gonna go with him, thanks for understanding guys." Annabeth concluded, grabbed two plates full of food, and headed after her boyfriend.

"Blimey, that must have sucked," Ron said bluntly.

"You think?" I rolled my eyes and continued eating my food. Although I had a sinking feeling in my gut and I could tell there were eyes staring through me. 

The next day, Percy was feeling much better, which I was thankful for. Professor McGonagall passed our time tables around and I looked at today's schedule. Potions, break. Defence Against the Dark Arts, break. Not too bad for the first day of classes.

"So we have DADA with Ravenclaw, right? Leo cooked up some fun toys to play with in that class." Percy snickered.

"Oh gods, your so going to get in trouble. Or worse. Expelled," Hermione looked shocked and slightly frightened.

"Relax. He had help from Ron's brothers." Percy gave a thumbs up. This only made Hermione look even more anxious.

"Now I'm definitely looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts!" Ron laughed in-between bites of his food.

Potions went rather well okay. I was partnered with Hazel. Although I'd considered us friends, I haven't actually had a conversation with her. She was rather nice and I enjoyed her company.

"Terrible potion, as expected of you Mr. Potter. See me after class to explain to me why you are so dim witted and can't understand the art that is potion making." Snape drawled. He turned around, his robe bellowing behind him.

"It's about that thing Annabeth explained to you. Our potion is fine, don't worry." Hazel gave me a reassuring smile. I had forgotten that Snape was playing double agent and I almost lost my temper. 

"So, Harry, as you know you're a Hocrux. So far Voldemort isn't aware of this, but he will start to realize it. Nico and I have already started planning on how to destroy the Horcruxes. You've already destroyed one, in the Chamber of Secrets. It was his diary. The other ones are you, his snake, his father's ring, Slytherin's necklace, the Ravenclaw diadem, and the Hufflepuff Cup. We're gonna take care of the objects, which will take a while to find, and then we'll take care of the snake. Then you. At the moment, I think your greatest threat is Umbridge. Just be careful around her. That's all." Severus dismissed us. Why would I have to be careful around an old bat?

"You ready for class?" Percy asked.

"Guess so," I shrugged. We said our goodbyes to our Slytherin friends and headed towards the DADA room.

"Today we'll be reading from the books, so put away your wands. You won't be using them in this classroom." Professor Umbridge had on that fake smile that made me want to vomit.

"How are we supposed to protect ourselves from danger from reading? Shouldn't we actually use spells?" Hermione asked.

"What would you need to be protected from?" 

"From Voldemort! He's back!" I shouted, standing up.

"Sit down, Mr. Potter. There will be no such nonsense talk in this classroom."

"He's telling the truth. I saw him with my own eyes," Percy's voice was steely calm, although he looked bored with his feet on the table.

"You probably thought you saw him honey. You've been hanging out with the wrong crowd. And with your damaged brain, you probably imagined it." Her voice was sickly sweet and I wanted nothing more than to pound her in the face. With the training I've been doing with Percy, I'm pretty sure I could have at least gave her a black eye.

"You're right. My bad." Percy was still as calm as he was before, but his eyes looked like they did back at the graveyard.

"You see! Voldemort died long ago-"

"Yeah, when he killed my parents! I killed him as a baby, but he's back now!" I said. I wish I was able to stay as calm as Percy was, but my voice was shaking.

"Detention, Potter!" Umbridge hissed.

"Professor Umbridge, your table is on fire!" Leo shouted innocently, waving his hands in the air. Although, I knew he was the one who started it.

"What!?" She shrieked in surprise. She turned towards her table and tried to fan the flames away. Honestly, it was an embarrassing sight.

"I'll help you Professor Umbridge!" Percy said with an innocent tone of voice, although his smirk gave him away. "Aguamenti! [1]" He shouted, waving his wand. First the water came out as a small stream, but probably using his powers, the water increased. He made the water increase and slam the table, but bringing Umbridge down with it. Although the flames were thoroughly doused and gone, he continued playing with Umbridge. He would splash the water in her face, then toss her in the air, and make her classroom a mess. 

"Mr. Jackson!" Umbridge finally managed when she got up. She looked pretty angry.

"I'm so sorry Professor. I heard that the stronger the wizard, the stronger their spells become. I had no intention to get you wet, please forgive me." Percy made a dramatic scene then went on his knees, bowing at her feet. Ron and I were laughing as well as some other students.

"V-very well. 5 points to Gryffindor." Umbridge had a slight blush on her face, which looked pretty disturbing. "On with the lesson," She sneered. She went to her desk and cast a drying charm and the classroom.

"Was that your master plan?" I whispered to Percy. He shook his head and smirked.

"Naw. Leo's the genius. He thought it'd be in his odds if I became teacher's pet. Sorry about the detention though."

"Don't worry about it," I shrugged it off. "I can't wait to see what'll happen next."

About 10 minutes later, there was a mechanical bird knocking on the window. Umbridge, being angry with the noise, opened the window. When she did, the bird started shooting fireworks into the air and pecking at our professor. It was pretty funny because it kept just out of arms length and flew in circles so a spell couldn't hit it. It ended up being chased by Umbridge and flew out the window. Umbridge followed, determined to get the stupid bird, and nearly fell out of the window. It was a funny sight until her dress came up and we all nearly died from the sight.

"So tell me-" Fred started.

"Did the bird-" George continued.

"That Leo built-"

"with us-"

"actually work?" The twins finished together, looking between me and Ron.

"Oh, it worked all right!" Ron laughed loudly, causing people to look at him funny.

"What happened?" George looked eager and Fred took out some parchment and a quill to take notes.

"It was putting on a show with the fireworks and all, then it was pecking at her, which I'm pretty sure left marks. Then Umbridge started chasing it around and nearly fell out of the window!" I smiled and rolled my eyes at their excited faces.

"Wonderful! Brilliant really!" George high fived his brother.

"I heard you got detention though. Angelina is pretty pissed that you're missing Quidditch tryouts." Fred sympathized.

"Oh, I forgot about that!" I snapped my fingers, realizing that I did forget about Quidditch tryouts. I'd obviously be on the team, but Angelina would probably wanted my opinion on who should get on the team. 

"Bloody hell mate, you okay?" Ron squinted his eyes and looked at me. "How can you forget Quidditch?"

"I don't know. I gotta get going to detention though, see you guys later," I waved goodbye and made my way to Umbridge's office.

"Hello sweety." Umbridge said in that voice of hers. I looked around her classroom and it nearly blinded me because it was so pink. "Have a seat, your going to be writing lines today."

I shrugged and sat down. Writing lines wasn't a big deal, I've done that countless times. "There's no quill," I said dumbly.

"You'll be using mine." The smile she gave me was enough to make me suspicious, but I took the quill anyways. "You will be writing 'I must not tell lies' 100 times. Begin."

I looked down at the parchment. Once I wrote the first line, a burning sensation flared on the back of my hand. 

"Something wrong?" Umbridge obviously knew that this was going to happen, so I shook my head. I continued on writing the lines until I reached 100. She dismissed me with a scowl, probably upset because I didn't complain or make a sound. As I was making my way up to Gryffindor Tower, I looked at the back of my hand. Etched into my skin were the words

'I must not tell lies.' 

I swore to myself that no matter what, I wasn't going to let anyone else find out.

 

Once I got into the common room, I was ambushed by a smiling Hermione and Annabeth.

"We've been thinking about this over break, but we didn't say anything until now, but we should start a club. A club to teach students spells and how to fight with weapons! A club that can help students against Death Eaters, if that time ever arises. You and Percy would be the presidents, obviously. The reason we're telling you this suddenly is because Umbridge isn't going to be teaching us anything this year. And Voldemort is back, so who knows when he's gonna strike? Percy already agreed, so we just need your consent. What do you say Harry? Hmm?" Hermione rambled. She looked excited about the idea and Annabeth looked politely thrilled with it.

"If it'll make you happy." I muttered. They both seemed ecstatic and it was hard to say no to Hermione. 

"Great, we'll give you more information tomorrow. Goodnight Harry!" Annabeth then went to go inform Percy and Hermione went up to her dorm to set things up. I also went to my dorm to try and get some goodnights rest, but the pain would not go away. Finally, after a lot of toss and turning, I was able to fall asleep.

\------

A/N So it's been a million years since I last updated! I'm determined not to give up on this story, because I enjoy writing it. I don't have a clue where the direction of this story is going, so it's taking me time to think about what I want to do.

I've also been busy and my birthday was a couple of days ago. I went to Universal Studios and went to Hogesmede and it was wonderful. Schools going good and I've gotten into new fandoms, rip.

QotD:  
Would you rather be a villain or a hero? In Marvel or DC?

Answer:  
I prefer DC over Marvel, but I would rather be a villain in the Marvel universe because the heros aren't too much of a threat and neither are the other villains.


	11. Hallo Ween

-Hermione Pov-

It was late October, and Harry was upset, which was reasonable. The 31st marked the day his parents were murdered by Voldemort, but everyone in the wizard world would throw a party regardless of that. All they cared about was Voldemort dying.

"Hey guys," Percy plopped down next to me.

"Hey." Harry responded sullenly.

"Since Halloween is on a Friday this year, we were thinking of shadow traveling to America to go trick or treating!" Percy had a stupid grin on his face, eyes sparkling.

"What's Halloween?" Ron cocked his head slightly, looking absolutely confused.

"Every year on October 31st, people dress up and go house to house to get candy! And if they don't give you candy, you get to trick them. It's the best day ever because you get free candy!" At this point, Percy looked like he was going to explode.

"The 31st, huh?" Harry leaned back in his chair, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah?" Percy looked slightly confused at Harry's depressed mood.

"That's when his parents were murdered." I said quietly. Percy looked surprised and looked at Harry for confirmation.

"She's right. And everyone in the wizard world always throws a party because that's when Voldemort died. Nobody cares how I feel." 

"Man, do I know what that's like," Percy laughed and shook his head, "they only care for the victory, not the casualties. But hey, it'll be great, I promise. You'll get to see what Americans are like in their natural habitat! And we'll get a lot of free candy. C'mon Harry. You can't dwell on the past. Yes, it sucks, but Voldemort is back now. We gotta have some fun before we meet him. I might not make it back, you know.." Percy suddenly became very anxious and agitated.

"What do you mean?" I asked gently, putting my hand on his.

"I-I well uh.. So what do you say?" Percy jumped up with a grin on his face.

"I want to do it! Mum rarely let's me do muggle things." Ron looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Alright, I'll go. What do you say Harry?"

"Okay. I'll go too." Harry had a small smile on his face.

"Great! We're gonna do a group theme and it's superheros and villains! You probably don't know what that is.. don't worry, we'll get you costumes!" 

"Sounds great. But what were you saying about not making it back?" He had the Curse of Achilles, he'd be fine, right?

Percy just looked at me with a pained expression, unsure of what to say. He shook his head, and ran up to his room.

"Should we be concerned?" Harry asked.

"If he doesn't want to tell us, then he won't. Let's just give him time." I sighed. Hopefully, he would at least talk to Annabeth about it. Hopefully.

-Annabeth Pov-

Why did I have to have a seaweed brained boyfriend?

"So I'll be Aquaman, you'll be Batman, Piper can be Wonder Women, Leo can be that one guy from Fantastic 4, Hazel can be Poison Ivy, Nico can be the Joker, Ron can be Hawkeye, Harry can be Iron Man, and Hermione can be Catwoman!" Percy continued walking around, mumbling about this and that.

"Seaweed Brain, where you going to get the customes from?" He stopped in his tracks and looked at me with an embarrassed blush.

"Oh, well I didn't really think about it." He admitted sheepishly. He looked at the ground and put his hands in his pockets.

"I could make them if you show me the design." I sighed. 

"Could you?" His face turned into one of a childs.

"Yes, I guess I could." I smiled and pulled my laptop out of my bookbag. I went to google and opened up different tabs to see what in Hades Percy was talking about.

"I think we should let Calypso make Leo's costume, seeing as he might burn through it and you don't have the material. And we should let Leo make Harry's custome, you know, to make it realistic." Percy pulled his puppy seal face and I couldn't resist.

"Alright, fine. I'll IM Calypso, you go tell Leo."

"Aye aye ma'am!" Percy gave me a kiss on the lips and ran to go to find Leo.

I walked over to the fountain at the end of the room and sat down, listening the water gurgle. After about a minute, I grabbed a drachma, and tossed it in.

"O Iris, goddess of rainbows, show me Calypso at Camp Half-blood." I muttered. Steam rose up and an image appeared. It was Calypso sitting in Bunker 9, fiddling with some of Leo's mechanisms.

"You sure he lets you play with that?" I asked after about a second. Calypso turned quickly, dropping the items she had onto the table.

"Oh, um, hi Annabeth. I-it's nice to see you? Uh, yeah, Leo wanted me to gather some of his materials and send it to him. For some kind of prank or something." She blushed slightly and wiped her oil stained hands on a cloth nearby.

"I want to ask you for a favor." I asked shyly. Instead of looking at her, I let my eyes roam around Leo's workshop.

"Y-yeah anything for you! Sure, no problem." Calypso looked slightly anxious, as if I might ask her to go jump inside a volcano or something.

"I need you to make an outfit for Leo. It's gonna look like this," I opened the tab with the Fantastic 4 suit, "and it has to be fire proof. You think you could do that?" I let her examine the screen while she took some notes on a note pad.

"Not a problem. I'll have Hermes deliver it along with Leo's tools." Calypso looked more relaxed now, shoulders not tensed up, face soft.

"You know, I forgive you." I said softly, leaning back on my hands.

"What I did was horrible. I was bitter and lonely. I was tired of the gods messing with me, I shouldn't have cursed you." Calypso looked saddened now, playing with random screws in her hand.

"I would have probably done the same thing. Listen, down in Tartarus I was scared. And when I couldn't see Percy, and I thought I lost him, I felt hopeless; it was almost like being back in the River Coyctus, where I felt alone and wanted to die. So when Percy told me it was you who did that to me, I was ready to curse you to the depths of Tartarus. I obviously didn't, but I probably would have if I was all alone. The point is, I forgive you." I looked down at the ground. It wasn't the best time to have this conversation, but the conversation was much needed.

"Oh Annabeth!" Calypso looked like she was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry too. If you were here, I would hug you. I'm so so sorry."

"It's okay. And good thing I'm not there, I wouldn't want your hands getting my clothes dirty." I smirked, hoping to lighten the mood. I wasn't too good with dealing with other people's feelings, so I went with Leo's tactic: crack as many jokes as you can.

"Yeah? Well I wouldn't want to touch you anyways." She pouted and crossed her arms, although she had a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Well I gotta go. Nice talk and thanks for the things." I said as I got up and stretched.

"No problem. Tell Leo I miss him and that he should call more often!" She waved goodbye then turned around to continue her work.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

After writing the layout for the customes, I went downstairs and saw Hermione sitting next to the fire with her cat in her lap.

"Hey 'Mione." I sat down next to her and put my bag down on the floor.

"Hey Annabeth." She looked deep in thought and absentmindedly stroke Cruckshank's back.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Although it was early afternoon, the common room was dark, which allowed the flames from the fire to dance in Hermione's face.

"Has Percy talked to you about anything lately?" She asked hesitantly.

"No.. why?" Suspicion and concern laced my voice.

"W-well earlier today he was talking about You-Know-Who, right? And he said that when we fight him, Percy might not come back alive. When we asked him about it, he would not budge." Hermione finished.

"No he hasn't mentioned anything. I wouldn't see why he'd be concerned, he's got the Curse of Achilles.. unless he's afraid someone will get in his way? He might sacrifice himself for someone.. wait." My eyes widened in horror. "What if Voldemort knows where his weakspot is?"

Realization dawned on Hermione's face. "But, that's not possible, right? You're the only one besides Percy to know where it is."

"I don't know. I'll ask him about it later. Anyways, on a lighter note, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to help me make the Halloween customes. I have the designs all set and I'm going to go to the Room of Requirements to work on it." I said as I got up and gathered my things. 

"That sounds like a nice distraction." Hermione agreed. "That's the room we're going to use to learn defense and stuff from Harry, right?"

"Yeah. We've been using it as training grounds to keep in shape and some other stuff." I said as we stepped through the painting.

"I know Percy said we're going to shadow travel and all, but is Nico and Hazel able to do it?" Hermione didn't look doubtful, she looked concerned and slightly intrigued.

"Nico was able to take a 50 foot tall statue of Mom from Greece to New York. I think he could do it with some help." I said proudly. 

I never really thought much of Nico. I didn't even meet him until after the Titan War, but he was so distant. Then he disappeared and I didn't see him until we saved him from the jar. We didn't get to talk to much after that, since he was recovering and then we fell into Tartarus. Then when he saved us from there, he left on his quest. The only proper time I was able to talk to him was after both wars at Camp Half-blood. My opinion was neutral on him, from the things Percy had told me. However, I soon realized Nico was a scared and lonely kid, but that didn't stop him. He had some trust issues, was intelligent, scary when angry, but kind hearted. And over the course of time, I've been able to see him as a little brother.

"He did? Wow. Just wow." Hermione smiled and we continued our walk in a comfortable silence.

-Nico Pov-

"You sure you don't want to come with us, Draco?" I asked my fellow Slytherin friend as I relaxed on a leather chair.

"It's already bad enough Percy picked the customes, I don't even want to know what he'd pick for me." Draco was sitting forward, elbows on his thighs, hands laced together in front of his face, although I knew he was smirking.

"I think you could be Lex Luthor. Maybe even Harley Quinn!" I snickered.

"Well if you're the Joker, wouldn't it make more sense for your boyfriend to be Harley Quinn?" Draco asked innocently, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yes, I suppose." I answered shyly.

"I would love to go, but I can't. The other Slytherin's have been keeping an eye on me lately and it's annoying. Can't be blowing my cover, can I?" He shook his head and looked tired.

"Well if you ever need me to scare them away, I'm your guy." I smiled evilly and the temperature dropped slightly. 

"You think I'm not scary enough by myself?" Draco asked in mock offense.

"I think your blonde hair is enough to scare anyone off." I laughed and he just stared at me with those dark, grey eyes.

"Fair enough." He smiled and leaned into his chair, yawning.

"I'm going to go to my room now. Talk to you later, Dray." 

"Have fun talking to your boyfriend!" He called after me. I blushed and ran up the stairs.

Since in every house there was an extra floor for us, there was a bed and a fountain on the boys floor. I walked up and sat in front of the fountain, hands slightly sweating. I hadn't written or called Will in a couple of days, and I was so gonna get it.

"Hey Iris, you think you could show me Will at Camp Half-blood? Thank you." I threw a coin into the fountain and an image of Will working in the infirmary showed.

"Hey Will." I said slowly. Will turned around with a face that more or less meant 'Oh, now you call'. "Sorry, I know it's been a while, but I've been busy with the Horcruxs thing."

"It's alright, I've been busy myself." He sat down on a bed. His messy blonde hair was all over the place, his tee shirt slightly singed at the bottom, and his shorts had a hole in it.

"You okay, you look a little beat up." Concern made its way onto my face as I tried to figure out what happened.

"The Romans just came over for a friendly game of Capture the Flag." Will had a wistful smile on his face. "We didn't stand a chance." We both laughed and stared at each other for a while.

"I'm going to New York for Halloween." I said casually.

"Yeah? And how are you going to get here?" Will crossed his arms and looked at me suspiciously.

"Hazel and I are going to shadow travel." I crossed my arms as well and pouted.

"Oh no you're not." I sighed, I knew this was coming.

"But Will! Annabeth already made the customes and everything. Plus, it'll give me an excuse to see you." I slightly begged.

"How many people are going?" He sighed.

"Let's see. Hazel, me, Leo, Annabeth, Percy, Piper, Hermione, Ron, and Harry. So 9." I started to fidget under his intense glare.

"That's a lot of people, Nico." He said finally.

"Well, yeah. I bet I can convince Percy to take Blackjack with Annabeth, and Leo could take Festus with Piper. Then Hazel and I would just have to bring ourselves and the three wizards." I persuaded. I'm pretty sure they'd agree with that.

"Alright, you convinced me. Where do you want to meet?" He was swinging his legs over the side of the bed, a habit I like to do when I can't reach the floor.

"Dining Pavilion?" 

"Alright. Well I've got to go. See you then?"

"See you then. Love you Sunshine." I smiled at how easily it was to say it now.

"Love you too, Death Breath." He flashed me a grin then waved through the Iris Message.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

It was Halloween day and some people were celebrating since it was Voldemort's downfall day. For lunch, everyone who was going to New York sat in the Room of Requirements. Harry had asked some of the House Elves to bring us some food, although Hermione had protested at first, but her growling stomach allowed her to agree with it.

"Can we go over the plan again?" Leo asked as he threw a french fry in his mouth.

"After our last class, we are all going to meet outside by Hagrid's hut. There, we'll put on our customes and wait for Blackjack and Festus. Since Nico, Hazel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, are going to arrive at Camp before us, they'll just hang out there and wait for us. When we arrive, Percy is going to IM his mom. Then Sally is going to drive us into town. From there, we'll go trick or treating. When we're done, we all shadow travel back. Questions?" Annabeth debriefed.

"Can you Iris Message multiple people at the same time? Like a group chat, you know?" Percy asked, mouth full with blue food.

"Now he's asking the important questions!" Leo joked.

"I actually don't know. Good question?" Annabeth laughed and so did the others.

"Wait, so this Camp we're going to, it's going to be full of people like you right?" Ron asked.

"Yup. I'll probably leave you four alone for a while while I talk to Will." I directed to the wizards. Then I looked at our group, "Who should I leave to babysit them? Clarisse? Connor and Travis?"

"Definitely Clarisse." Leo laughed.

"I think Connor and Travis are slightly better than Clarisse." Piper commented.

"Or I could just stay with them." Hazel teased.

"Should we be concerned?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Only a little." I gave him a creepy smile.

"Right.."

"Is Will going to come with us? You guys don't mind if Calypso comes though, right? Your mom better have a big car Percy." Leo joked.

"I talked to him last night, but didn't ask. Probably not because he'll just go on and on about how candy is bad for you." I rolled my eyes, already imagining the lecture I might receive from him.

"Calypso can come, I guess. Don't worry about the car. After a couple of persuasions, Annabeth and Hermione were able to put a charm on Paul's car to make it bigger in the inside." Percy said with a smile. "The Romans are also there. They came by yesterday to play Capture the Flag. I don't know if Jason and Frank can, or will, come with us though." I said causally. "Frank is there? I doubt he'll go, he never was a big fan of candy, but I'll pay him a visit. You guys don't mind, right?" Hazel looked towards the wizard. "No it's fine. Although I think we'll stick with you. By the way Hermione's face cringed when you said Clarisse, Connor, and Travis, we'll just hangout. Hermione knows the place well, don't you?" Harry asked. 

"Er, yeah. I guess so. But also, we can use magic as much as we want in America! I'm thinking it's because Hecate doesn't care as much or because of the demigods or because of the Eygption magicians there, but yeah. We can use magic almost freely there." Hermione looked at her friends as if she just delivered great news.

"Wait. Egyptian whats?" I scrunched my eyebrows together and looked at Hermione.

"The Greek and Roman gods aren't the only gods out there, you know. Trust me, the Egyptians and their myths are freaking crazy. And no, you don't want to know. And yes, of course I witnessed it first hand. Twice." Percy shook his head and looked at his hand with a mixture of happiness and anxiety.

"I'll find out sooner or later." I stook my tongue out and the others giggled.

After a while, Leo jumped up and looked at the time. "I can't believe you all have Potions next! C'mon Piper, let's go to History." He grabbed her arm and jogged out of the room, to try and make it on time.

"Well, let's go." Hazel said. We all nodded our heads and headed for the dungeons.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

"5 drachma's I could get Severus to scream." I whispered to Percy.

"That's gross!" Percy scrunched up his nose and made a face. "Just kidding. 10 drachma's I could get him to compliment Ron's potion."

"Deal."

"Deal." We both shook hands. Whenever we sat next to each other, we would finish our potion as fast as we could and make bets. 

What would make the old man scream? Dead stuff obviously wouldn't work, seeing as he's been to the underworld. Maybe I could try to put some images in his head? While I pondered this, Percy elbowed my arm gently, pointing at where Ron was sitting.

"Well I'm surprised. Nicely done, Weasley." Severus walked away, very confused.

"Your turn." Percy snickered.

"How did you even..?"

"I was able to fix his potion from all the way over here. No one noticed. Ron just kinda went with it, until he saw me focused on his potion. He thanked me of course." Percy smiled at his accomplishment. Gods, I had completely forgotten he could do that.

"Yeah, yeah. Give me a minute."

Severus looked deep in thought, probably pondering Ron's potions. I cleared my mind and stared straight at his eyes. I wasn't trying to be nosy, so I just made myself appear. It was kind of like being in someone else's dream and so I went "boo!". I got kicked out of his head and fell off of my stool. However, I heard him give a small yell. 

"Alright, I'll let that count just because you fell out of the stool. You still owe me 5 drachmas though." Percy laughed and helped me up.

"Nico di Angelo, what in Hades were you thinking." Severus hissed in Greek, right next to my ear. I slightly jumped, since I didn't even hear or sense him approaching.

"I was just having some fun." I said innocently.

"And your idea of fun is to scare the shit out of me in class?" His voice was dangerously low, but it somehow had some playfulness in it.

"Yes?" I managed. Percy was shaking slightly from trying to contain his laughter.

"Well little brother, watch your back. You've just started a war." Severus smiled at me, turned around, and started walking back to his desk.

"Nice knowing you Nico." Percy laughed.

"He's old, he's probably gonna forget." I sighed. I should be concerned, but I was kind of looking forward to seeing what cards my brother had up his sleeve.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

We all gathered outside of Hagrid's hut, prepared to get changed.

"Alright, here you guys go. This took Hermione and I a while to make, so please be careful." Annabeth handed out the customes she had.

"Where's mine?' Harry asked awkwardly.

"I made yours myself!" Leo reached into his toolbelt and pulled out a.. suit of armor?

"Thanks?" Harry cautiously took it and put it over his T-shirt and jeans.

"I added modifications to it! You can fly around, although I'm not sure how well that'll work. But you can shoot lasers out of you're hand! I was supervised when I made it, so it's just bright lights, but it's still cool!" Leo looked like the happiest elf on earth.

"As long as he was supervised, I think the suit will be fine, Metal Man." Ron smiled truimphitly, probably for making a muggle reference.

"It's Iron Man," Piper rolled her eyes with a playful smile.

"C'mon, let's get changed!" Percy whined.

"Okay, okay." Hazel then used the Mist to give us separate rooms to change in.

I quickly put on the purple dress shirt with a green vest over it. I put on a clip on tie with a purple overcoat, and looked at myself in a body length mirror. Grabbing some white make up stuff Piper gave me, I caked my face to make myself look paler than usual. I added black circles around my eyes, while I giggled very manly since I already had black bags, then the signature red smile. I walked outside of the Mist room, and it disappeared.

"That actually looks good! I was afraid I made it too big, since you know. You're pretty skinny" Annabeth said sheepishly. She was camouflaged into the night, with her Batman suit. On the built, she had her dagger hanging next to a flashlight.

"So is Leo." Hermione snickered. She was wearing a tight black suit as well with some goggles that looked pretty funny.

"I heard that!" Leo jumped out of the now fading room and was wearing a dark blue skin tight suit with a logo on the chest with the number 4.

"Good to know your hearing works, hot stuff." Percy winked. Leo's hair was slightly on fire, most likely from exciment. Percy, on the other hand, was leaning on a trident looking kind of anxious. The green tights and gloves went oddly well with the orange scaly shirt he wore.

"I feel exposed." Piper laughed as she walked out of her room. She had on a short blue skirt, with a red, I don't know how to describe it, shirt? She has a shield in her left hand, the lasso of truth on her belt, and her sword in a sheath that was strapped to her back.

"I bet Jason wouldn't think so." I snickered. Piper turned her head and gave me a glare, though her face was as pink as Umbridge's classroom.

"Blimey, are these real arrows?" Ronald asked as he was examining one. His suit was sleeveless and looked like it was made of thick material. He wore gloves, with black pants, and combat boots.

"They were easier to get than fake ones." Annabeth shrugged nonchalantly.

"Where's your sister?" Harry asked suddenly, looking alarmed. I noticed too, that she hadn't came out and drew my sword, as did the others.

"I-I I'm in here." Hazel stuttered nervously from inside of her room.

"What are you doing? We're all ready." Ron asked, confused.

"This is so revealing." She murmured.

"What is she dressed as?" I asked Annabeth with my eyebrow cocked up.

"Poison Ivy." She said simply.

"You didn't give her anything that looks like my outfit, did you?" Piper asked in horror.

"No, no. It's a dress. I know she's an innocent little kid Piper." Annabeth chided.

Hazel finally stepped out, after a lot of encouraging. I was prepared to see her in a skimpy outfit or something, but was surprised that it wasn't. It was a green dress, that had a print of leaves, that stopped at the knees. She wore a lighter shade of green tights, with green combat boots.

"If my mother saw me now." Hazel covered her face in embarrassment as we all laughed.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

"Ready?" I asked the wizards who were with us. They gave Hazel and I worried nods, as they weren't sure what to expect.

I gave Hazel a nod and I ran into a tree. Hermione was holding my hand, Harry was holding hers, Ron his, then Hazel his. I embraced the familiar darkness as I ran. I pictured the dining pavilion in my head, ignoring the echoes of the voices of the dead who want to be remembered and Hermione's nails digging into my arm. Finally, I ran into the light and came out of a pillar with everyone else tailing behind.

"I-I don't ever want to do that again." Ron was shaking slightly and looked very pale.

"I agree with Ron on this." Although I couldn't see Harry, I could sense his agitation and fear.

"Even after doing it a couple of times, I still feel tingly afterwards." Hermione said vaguely.

"I do admit I feel a little sick afterwards," Hazel chided, "well I'm going to go find Frank. Just send someone to get me when you're ready."

"Okay. Well come on guys, I'll show you around," Hermione smiled and started to walk towards the cabins first. 

I waved goodbye and made my way to the Apollo cabin to find my boyfriend.

\--

Before I knocked on the door, Will came running out and knocked me to the ground.

"Looks like someone's in a rush." I groaned with a smile.

"Nico? I'm sorry! I was just about to go check if you arrived yet." Will apologized over and over until I hugged him to shut him up.

"I missed you." I said as I detangled myself from him and helped him up.

"I missed you too. It got lonely in the infirmary." Will sighed wistfully.

"Bet the campers felt better since they didn't have a child of Hades looming over them." I joked as we walked towards the beach.

"Maybe. But I missed my angel of death." I smiled at the nickname I grew fondly of. "I like the custome by the way." Will smirked.

"I look good in it and out of it." I laughed, grabbing hold of Will's hand as we sat down.

"I'll be the judge of that." He winked and leaned his head into my shoulder. After a while of some silence, I turned my head and kissed Will in the forehead.

"You missed." He said softly.

"No I didn't?" I asked confused.

He just laughed that sweet, innocent laugh of his and leaned in and kissed me on the lips. I was stiff and awkward, still being new to this, but enjoyed it nevertheless.

After kissing for a while, we were laying on our backs, pointing at clouds and making stories out of them. Will was a good story teller, always making sure I was listening and engaged. His eyes would light up and he looked so peaceful.

"Percy's looking for you two!" A Hermes camper called. "He's at the pavilion!" The camper then proceeded jogging to a different area.

"C'mon, before he throws a fit." I laughed.

"You better not eat all the candy in one night..." As I thought, Will was lecturing me about candy all the way back to the rest of the demigods.

"Hey Nico, Will." Percy waved. We waved back.

"Will what's that stuff on your face? Nico why's your makeup smeared?" Hazel questioned when she saw us. Will and I's faces burned a bright color of red, most likely visible through the makeup. I had completely overlooked that.

"Hmm I don't know. Why do you think Hazel?" Piper asked, trying very hard to cover her giggles.

"Oh." My sister's face went bright red and looked away, fanning her face. Everyone started to laugh and I wanted to shrink away into the shadows from the embarrassment.

"It's okay, Nico. Well I gotta go. Remember what I told you!" Will kissed my cheek then ran off towards the infirmary.

"What'd he tell you?" Leo asked innocently.

"To kick your assess." I rolled my eyes and headed to Half-blood Hill to await Percy's mother.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

"Alright. Our plan is to get as much candy as possible!" Percy shouted to us as we stood in a group, mapping out the houses we were going to go to.

"And if we don't get any candy, well.. it's not called trick-or-treat for nothing." Leo said evilly. Calypso, who was Thor, hit Leo's shoulder and scolded him slightly.

A couple of houses in, I started to sense monsters. There were only two and nothing I couldn't handle, but I scanned the area. 

"Percy, there's two telkhines nearby. I can't find them though." I said, opening my pillow case for a mortal to put candy in.

"You've got to be kidding me." He groaned.

"I think I found them." Hazel said immediately, pointing to the next house we were going to. They were wearing... clothes?

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Leo laughed and started walking towards the monsters. We approached with caution, although Ron and Harry looked very confused.

"Hey guys, what are you supposed to be?" Hermione asked, gripping her dagger in her hand, just in case.

"Well our mom told us to be the scariest thing we could think of, so I'm Percy Jackson!" Telkhine #1 did kinda look like Percy. He put on a black wig, had a Camp Tee on, a necklace, and a fake sword.

"And I'm Jason Grace!" Telkhine #2 had a blonde wig, a Camp Jupiter Tee, and a fake sword.

"You do kinda look like me." Percy grinned unsurely.

"Wait. Y-you guys are the demigods we've been smelling! Oh no, we should run!" Telkhine #1 yelled.

"Wait! You guys are just trick or treating, right?" Annabeth asked with amusement.

"Y-yeah." Telkhine #1 answered.

"As long as you don't kill anybody, we'll let you guys live. Sounds good?" 

"T-thank you! But we'll be away from you guys, just in case. Happy Halloween!" Telkhine #2 said before running off with his brother.

"Do I even want to know?" Harry asked.

"No. I don't even think I want to know. Should I be offended or honored that I'm the scariest thing they could think of?" Percy looked deep in thought, borderline constipated looking.

"Oh gods, come on Seaweed Brain." Annabeth laughed and dragged her boyfriend over to the next house.

I was pretty scary, right? I bet if there was a third one, one of them would have dressed as me, right? I'm the Ghost King, of course they would have..

A couple of blocks later, there was a house that had their lights on inside, but wasn't giving candy.

"Finally!" Leo whooped. "As much as I love candy, I love pranking too."

I traded a concerned look with the other 9 people.

"I knew I wasn't going to have my belt, so I built some things into Harry's suit!" Leo grinned mischievously and walked over to Harry.

"I knew he would have done something like this." Harry muttered dreadfully. Leo pushed a button that was on Harry's arm and an object that looked like a bat went flying into the air. It flew right over the house and exploded, causing neon paints of all colors to decorate the house. Leo took off sprinting, and we followed in suit.

"Wouldn't the muggles have seen that?" Ron gasped in disbelief.

"You mean the mortals? They won't actually be able to see the paint until the morning. Leo is a cruel mastermind that shows no mercy." Calypso laughed and high-fived her boyfriend. Leo was such a bad influence.

"I say we do another block or so. We still gotta shadow travel you guys back." I yawned slightly and adjusted my tie.

"Good point. We'll finish this block and I'll call my mom to take us back to Camp Half-blood so we can clean up before going back." Percy nodded his head and we continued our last round for candy.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

As I was shadow traveling, I became more and more exhausted. I knew it was a bad idea to try and do it. I felt myself being torn apart by the forgotten spirits. Hazel was still fairly new to shadow traveling and she was also failing. Suddenly, Severus appeared in front of me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me through.

We all came crashing through a wall and landed in a hallway. It was fairly dark through the window, but the moon light was bright tonight.

"What do you idiots think you were doing! You should have been back earlier! Nico, that was reckless. If I hadn't sensed you almost dying, you probably would have. All for some candy. What do you have to say for yourselves?" Severus looked pretty pissed off.

"I brought you some candy." I said shakily.

"You think I can be persuaded by some candy?" His looming figure stood over ours, since we were still on the floor, not daring to get up.

"You're not you when you're hungry!" I then grabbed a Snicker's bar, threw it at him, and ran away from the situation.

\-------------

A/N: I know Halloween was last week. I didn't have wifi for a whole week! But here's a filler chapter for you guys. So sorry I've been behind on this.. QotD: What were you for Halloween? Answer: I was a Slytherin Quidditch player! (I'd be a chaser)


	12. Secrets are revealed

-Hazel Pov-

After getting scolded by Severus, we all were sent to bed. I went up to my room and I laid awake, confused. What had Nico meant when he said, "You're not you when you're hungry!" And why did he throw a Snicker's bar at our brother? All I know was that it made Leo and Percy laugh loudly, causing Severus to scold them even more, seeing as it was early in the morning. After about a minute of pondering this, I finally passed out.

Dreams for demigods weren't unusual. But this one was. Pluto rarely talks to me, which I can understand, seeing as how I'm supposed to be dead. Pluto usually takes on his form as Hades when communicating with me, but in my dream he was Pluto. He was wearing a pitch black toga and a crown made of jewels.

"Ah, Hazel. It's nice to see you, please take a seat." I obliged and sat down at the marble table that appeared in front of me.

"You're probably wondering why you're here. You see, I sent your brother's to go and destroy the Horcruxes. They have destroyed all but two. The two remaining are Harry Potter and Tom Riddle's snake. To get rid of the Horcrux in Harry, he would have to get killed with a Stygian Iron sword or by spell via Voldemort. There is no other way. Harry Potter must die." My father explained slowly as he sat down across from me. He plucked a pomegranate off of a tree and started to eat it.

"No disrespect intended father, but why tell me?" Wouldn't it make more sense to tell Nico and or Severus?

"Don't underestimate yourself Hazel. You learned how to control the Mist and you use it wonderfully. You also know about sacrifices. You sacrificed your own life and your mothers to slow Gaea down when you were little. When facing Voldemort, I can't be certain when you all will face him, Harry Potter needs to die. But listen closely to what I'm about to say. I will revive him. It might take a few minutes for his soul to travel back to his body. You will need to guard his body because no doubt Voldemort might try to do something to it. You can't kill Voldemort. Harry has to do it, do you understand?" My head was swimming with information. I tried to put our conversation in a vault in my head so I can access it later.

"Yes, Father. But what does that have to do with sacrifice?" I asked regrettingly.

"Equivalent exchange. Harry has a powerful soul, much like you guys do. When the time comes, one of you will be brought to the underworld. A small price for my kindness. It's your choice if you want to share this with your friends or not. I believe that is all the time we have. Goodbye Hazel. And.. you've made my proud."

The last thing I saw before I woke up was my father giving me an actual, genuine smile.

-Harry Pov-

My day was going fairly normal until, on our way to the Great Hall, a monster attacked us. I'm used to the monster attacks, seeing as Percy and the others attract them, but never have I seen one in the castle before.

"P-Percy, do you see that?" I grabbed Percy's arm and pointed to the beast. This wasn't like anything I've seen before. It had two trunks for legs, that kind of looked like alligator tails, and one body with one head. It was an ugly shade of green, with pointed scales on it. It had a forked tongue, red slits for eyes, and a sword in hand.

"Just my luck," Percy sighed and took a pen out of his robes. I always thought his sword that he used was magic and appeared whenever he wanted it to, seeing as the others usually had theirs hidden in their robes. Percy's pen was actually his sword, Riptide. The sword was 3 feet long, made out of Celestial Bronze, double edged, and would appear once you took the cap off of the pen. Percy then charged the monster, exchanged a few blows, and stabbed the monster.

"Good job dude!" I high fived him and laughed. Before he put the cap back to the tip of the blade, I asked, "Can I hold it?" Percy looked at me with confusion, but shrugged and handed it to me.

"Just don't stab yourself." Percy joked. The sword was heavy, maybe a couple of pounds? It felt cool holding a sword and I waved it around, ignoring Percy's fit of laughter.

"You think I could have a sword?" I asked, while pretending I was fighting some dude.

"Sure. I could ask Leo to forge one for you." 

"Thanks!" As I was going to hand the sword back, I heard a high pitched cough come from behind me.

"Detention Potter, for having a baseball bat! You could have killed someone!" Umbridge exclaimed.

"Excuse me, Professor Umbridge, that is actually my bat." Percy said, taking back his sword.

"Still detention for Potter for having it in his possession!" Umbridge huffed and walked away before we could argue any further.

"Man, I'm so sorry about that," Percy put his sword away and looked apologetic.

"It's okay.. it's only detention," I grabbed his arm and led us to the Great Hall. I still haven't told anyone about the scar on my hand from Umbridge's detentions. I've seen how scary the demigods could be and I don't even want to imagine what would happen if they found out.

[][][] Time Skip [][][]

"Today is the first meeting of our defense class. I want to thank you all for coming and risking detention. Today we'll be working on our wand work and spells. Next meeting, we'll be working on physical, uh, stuff with Percy leading us. Questions?"

"Yeah. Why is Malfoy and those Slytherins here?" A girl sitting next to Cho asked. 

"We're here to learn and practice spells, not to discriminate against each other. Nico and Piper happen to be Percy's cousins. How Malfoy found out is beyond me, but as long as he doesn't tell, it won't matter." I tried to explain. Honestly, I had no problem if Draco was here or not. He told us that his house is head quarters to Death Eaters, so it's beneficial for him to be here.

"Now guys, come on. The first spell we're going to practice is the disarming one. Grab a partner, come on." Hermione ushered everyone over to the area where we had set up training mats.

Everyone was partnered up, expect for Hermione, so I decided to be her partner, although we both didn't need the practice.

"So Harry, how have detentions been?" Hermione asked while she went to go retrieve her wand.

"They've been alright. No detentions are ever good." I half answered. She said the spell and my wand nearly hit Ron in the face.

"True." Hermione laughed because Ron put his wand back, ready to cast the spell, and hit me in the face.

"Bloody hell man, are you alright!" Ron asked between laughs. Piper, who was his partner, just rolled her eyes at our stupidity.

[][][] Time Skip [][][]

After practice was over, everyone went back to their Houses feeling satisfied with their practice today.

"Hey guys, do you mind if we have a meeting right now?" Hazel asked, once everyone who didn't know about the demigod world left.

"Is it something big, where we should call Severus?" Hermione asked. Hazel nodded her head, looking anxious.

"I'll go Iris Message him then." Percy then went into the bathroom.

While Severus made his way here, we arranged the room to make it more cozy. We had a couple of couches in a circle, with a carpet on the floor. I sat in between Hermione and Ron. Snape was at the end of our couch, next to Hermione. On the other, Percy was laying down, Annabeth snuggled up right next to him. Then on another was Neville, Piper and Leo. The last one had Hazel and Nico.

"I bet you guys are wondering why I called this last minute meeting." Hazel said, obviously anxious. "Well.. I had a dream.." And Hazel then proceeded to tell us about her conversation with her dad, Pluto.

"So I have to die. I am going to die!" I was surprised by this information. Sure, Voldemort said I was going to die every year I've faced him, but when the God of Death says that I'm going to die... Well I'll believe that!

"But your soul will return to your body. It might feel weird. It's like you're this ball of gas, but your aware of everything happening around you. Then you can feel yourself going back to your body. It is actually kind of weird. You might need a minute or two to get your bearing back." Hazel shivered as if she was talking from experience.

"How do you know?" Ron asked my question.

Hazel got very flustered and said, "Well I did die and come back to life. Although it wasn't until years later. I might be the same age as Severus if I didn't die. Maybe older." 

"I'm still older than you though, right? Technically I'm in my 80's.." Nico mumbled and looked thoughtful. "So if we're speaking technalities.. Severus is the youngest child of the underworld here." Nico laughed at our faces.

"I'm not sure if I want to ask." I confessed.

"Don't try to flatter me, Nico. I know I'm an old man. You were just unlucky, or lucky, enough to be an older man in a child's body." Severus didn't seem that offended by that fact, but did look slightly confused from the random conversation.

"You look good for your age, Severus. Your in your, what, early thirties? Late twenties?" Hermione said with her cheeks bright red.

"I- What?" He seemed at a lost for words, completely confused now. At this point, we were all laughing. Although, Hermione and Severus had bright red faces and avoided eye contact.

"Anyway, the point is that Harry is going to die and we have to protect his body. I don't even know where we are going to face Voldemort, or when. Severus, has Voldemort said anything?" Annabeth asked, keeping her face serious.

"No. He summoned us not too long ago, but he hasn't really said anything. He just punished the people who were unloyal. However, he does think there's something different about the American transfer students." Severus explained, still slightly red from embarrassment.

"Earlier today, we were attacked by a monster in the castle. That's just coincidental, right?" Percy wrapped his arms around Annabeth and rested his chin on top of her head.

"Well we do have all of Hades and Poseidon's children here, plus other demigods. Can't be too unusual. I mean Hecate can only do so much." Piper said reassuringly.

"I think you guys are still missing something though. Pluto said that one of us are going to be brought to the underworld. Does that mean one of us are going to die? Are we going to go willingly or forcefully? And when are we going to go?" Draco shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.

"Maybe it'll be a side quest for Hades? Raise your hand if you've been to the underworld, one way or another." Leo said, for once, seriously. A couple of hands went up. "Why'd you go, Percy?" 

"The first time was when me, Annabeth, and Grover went for a quest. The second time was to do an errand for Persephone with Nico and Thalia. The third time was to get the Curse of Achilles. The fourth was Tartarus with Annabeth and the fifth time was to get the Curse again. I think that's all..." Percy pondered this, shrugged, and nodded his head.

"What about you Annabeth?" Leo was taking notes on a notepad.

"First time was with Percy for that quest. Second time was Tartarus. And I think that's it." Annabeth snuggled her head into Percy's chest and held his hand.

"Mhmm, thank you, what about you Hazel?"

"Well I died, obviously, so that's why I was there. I've gone one other time and that was to get Nico." Hazel shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Nico?" Leo was scribbling furiously, which looked sloppy. He made a t-chart, but I couldn't understand any of it since it was in Greek.

"The first time was an accident, I was just exploring. Then it was to do that thing that Percy mentioned for Persephone. Then it was for taking Percy to the Styx. I went a couple of times to talk to the ghosts and my dad. Then it was Tartarus. I've honestly lost track, I've been in and out of there a lot." Nico seemed like he was talking about going to the mall or something, not at all fazed about going to the Land of the Dead for fun.

"Ain't that the truth." Leo joked. "Who else had their hand up? Severus?" 

"I've done quests for my father and to occasionally give company to Persephone." Severus sighed and rolled his eyes, as if that was an experience he'd never want to do again.

"Are you Greek or Roman?" Leo asked.

"Greek." Severus raised an eyebrow, as if that fact was important.

"Anyone else?" Leo asked.

"I haven't gone, but Jason did die at the Wolf House, remember? When Hera showed her true form?" Piper asked Leo. Honestly, who hasn't died? I shook my head and looked at the people in front of me. Almost half of them have been to the underworld and back. 

"Oh yeah! And I died too in that explosion..." Well. I did ask who didn't die. 

"You guys are bloody mad, you know that?" Again Ron voiced my thoughts.

"Don't knock it till you try it! So my thoughts are that Hades is going to pick someone who has done a quest for him. At first I thought he was going to pick someone who cheated death, but if he did, he'd have to pick Hazel. So, he is either going to pick Percy, Annabeth, Nico, or Severus. And probably not Severus because he's our only person who knows what's going on with Voldemort. Hopefully it's just for a quest. And if I'm wrong... then one of you three might die." Leo concluded, rereading his notes.

"Good, I could use a vacation." Percy laughed, which earned him an elbow in the stomach from Annabeth.

"I'll see what I can find out. Now go to bed, all of you. It's awfully late and I don't want you to get caught being out of bed."

"Fine." I took out my map and tapped my wand to it. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," I said as I walk towards the door. The hallways looked clear, no one in our way. "Mischief Managed." With that, we all headed to our Houses.

[][][] Time Skip [][][]

The next night, after Umbridge's detention, I had a nightmare. Voldemort was staring at me. That was it. He was staring at me until he turned around and saw a filing cabnit. He took out a folder and started reading the papers inside. For some odd reason, I couldn't move or say anything. I was just stuck to the floor.

Then the scenery changed. Voldemort still had the file, but we were in a huge room. It consisted of glass balls on racks that went as far as the eye could see. I could finally walk, so for the remainder of the dream I walked around and explored, although it felt like someone was reading my memories like a book. Before I woke up, I heard Voldemort's harsh voice whisper, "I know about your demigod friends and the Greek Gods. Beware." Then as I woke up, I could hear him laughing evilly in my head.

-Percy Pov-

It was going to be another boring day. We had herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Umbridge today.

I sighed and made my to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast.

"Hey Harry, you alright? You look a bit pale?" I heard Hermione ask as I sat down next to her.

"I-It's nothing really. I just lost some sleep trying to do my homework for Umbridge's class." Harry fidgeted under the look Hermione was giving him.

"Oh, alright. I told you to do that yesterday, after class ended. You and Ron are hopeless sometimes," Hermione laughed at Ron's, who was sitting across from her, expression.

I felt like somebody was watching me, so I casually looked around until I saw Severus eyes in my general direction. He looked deep in thought. I do that sometimes too. When I'm deep in thought, I tend to stare at people and I don't even know that I'm doing it. 

"Hey Seaweed Brain." Annabeth greeted, as she sat down next to me.

"Hey Wise Girl. Did you sleep fine last night?" I asked as I put a piece of bacon in my mouth.

"A little toss and turning, but yeah. Did you?" She grabbed a piece of toast and started to spread butter on it.

"Like a baby. I had a dream where I was singing a song, I know very manly, and then it started to rain birds. So random, I know. I wanted to share it with you." I gave her a stupid grin while she was laughing to herself.

"How did it rain birds?" She asked after she managed to stop laughing.

"I'm not sure. They were small little brown birds. They fell like bricks, but before they hit the ground, they spread their wings and flew to the forest, whistling along to my song."

"Percy, you are such a dork." Annabeth continued to laugh, which made her face light up and her cheeks go a little pink. "But I love you so much." She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the bridge of my nose before continuing eating her food.

I was on my third plate of food when the owls came flying down. Neptune had two letters. I untied them from his foot and Neptune began to eat my food. As soon as I took the letters off, Merlin came swooping down as well.

"That's odd.. Who's yours from?" I asked Annabeth.

"Mine is from my step mom." Annabeth had her eyebrows scrunched together, in obvious confusion.

"Really? What does it say." This caught my attention. Annabeth and her step mom rarely good along.

'Dear Annabeth,

It seems as though we haven't spoken in a year, which it probably has been. I sent this letter to your camp director, Mr. D. I know we haven't gotten along, but your father misses you. The last time I've heard from you is when your boyfriend, Percy? went missing. We know your life is dangerous, so you might not have time to respond to this letter. After a lot of convincing, your father had me wright this letter. I would like to meet you and your boyfriend sometime. I can't have you dating some hooligan that goes missing, can I? Your brothers have grown and I think they miss you too. It'd be nice to have a response.  
Sincerely,  
Your Step Mom.'

I could only stare at Annabeth in shock. It had taken us about five minutes to read, with it being in English and all.

"T-that's wonderful, isn't it?" I asked my girlfriend, unsure of what her response would be.

"She misses me?" Annabeth's eyes were slightly moist.

"Of course, who wouldn't miss you? Over Christmas break, you want to go visit your family? I'll go with you." I offered. Annabeth just looked at me with her grey eyes that looked so thankful. She just nodded her head.

"I'll make sure to write back later, who's your letter from?" Annabeth was obviously happy with the news she received and was curious to see if I had good news too.

"Let's see, the first one is from my mom!" I smiled and tore open the blue envelope. I pulled out a typed letter.

"Dear Percy and Annabeth,

I hope you guys are doing well. I used Google translate to put this in Greek, tell me if this was useful or just a mess. Anyways, I hope you guys are safe and doing well. I asked Chiron to give me the details of the quest and all the information you have sent him. You battled a dragoon Percy, and failed to tell me when you last visited? This Voldemort fellow sounds really dangerous. I know you two will protect each other and everyone else to the best of your abilities. Don't strain yourselfs and don't push yourselfs, especially you Percy. I don't expect to see you over winter holidays, which is fine, so I'll tell you guys a secret that I haven't told Paul yet. I'm three weeks pregnant! I'm very excited to have another child, with such a caring man like Paul. I know your going to be a good big brother Percy! I'll let you two babysit whenever you want for practice! Seriously Percy, your 17, when are you guys going to get married! Anyways, sorry for the long letter. I love you both so much. Good luck!  
With love,  
Sally Jackson'

"She's pregnant!" I yelled out in glee, hugging Annabeth. Both our faces were red from the last part of the letter, but my mom was pregnant! I could have a little brother! Or a little sister! I could imagine meeting my 16 year old sisters boyfriend and he finding me intimidating, while my sister is shaking her head with a 'told you so' look.

"Who's pregnant?" Hermione asked, bewildered and slightly scared.

"My mum of course, who else?" I asked confused.

"Oh." Hermione looked relieved and so did the surrounding people who were listening.

I looked over at Annabeth who was still red in the face. "Who did they think was pregnant?"

"Don't worry about it Seaweed Brain." Annabeth laughed and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Hey 'Beth, do you want a baby?" I said after a while of comfortable silence.

"Two." She laced her hand in mine and was rereading my mom's letter.

"You want two kids?" I never really put too much thought into it. I didn't think I'd live long enough to have kids.

"Mhmm. One boy and one girl. It doesn't matter which one we have first." 

"Would they be smart like you? Or would they have water powers? Or both? I can bet you Aphrodite would want to bless them." I joked, which was probably true. The goddess of love told me herself that Annabeth and I were her 'otp'. I later asked Drew what it meant, and wish I hadn't.

"I don't know. Would we risk trying to live in the mortal world? Or would we want to raise them in Camp Half-blood? Or Camp Jupiter?" Annabeth really seemed interested in this topic now.

"What would their names be? How about we name our boy Percy Jr." I joked. Annabeth smiled and looked me in the eyes.

"You'd really want to have kids with me?" Annabeth seemed nervous, as if I was going to say no.

"Of course I would. I love you to death Wise Girl. I'll have as many kids as you want and I'll be a responsible dad. We can take our baby on walks to the park. I'll be laying in bed with it and you'll read us both a bedtime story. We can go to the library when their older and teach them how to swim. I'll protect us from monsters and they don't even have to know about demigods, if we choose to live in the city. We just have to survive this last war and I know the gods would be kind enough to give us at least a place to live if we ask them to." I was now suddenly excited about this. Having a kid with Annabeth would mean the world.

"Perseus Jackson, I love you so much." Annabeth and I locked lips and nothing else mattered in that minute.

"Who's the other letter from?" Annabeth asked, still resting her head on me.

"Hmm doesn't say," I opened the envelope to find a white piece of paper. I opened it and two words were written largely across the page.

"What does it say?" Annabeth seemed suspicious of the letter.

"He knows."

Just then, the windows shattered. The Great Hall shook and everyone had scared looks on their face. I got up and uncapped my sword, holding Riptide in front of me. The rest of the demigods did the same and we made a tight circle in the middle of the place. Harry and Ron were with us, wands drawn.

"Everyone stay calm and stay seated!" Severus yelled. Everyone obeyed and everyone stared at us. Severus took out his wand and stood next to Nico.

"Something is coming, I can sense it." Nico was visibly uneasy.

"What is going on!" Umbridge yelled from above.

Two hellhounds smashed through the wall, revealing a crowd of monsters. The Minotaur was there, with one horn still missing, a drakon, Empousi, rogue Cyclopes, and a 20 foot tall Titan.

"Why hello Perseus, 'member me?" The Titan mocked. The blood in my veins ran cold.

"Koios." I tried to keep my voice even, but it was difficult. Koios had on his Stygian armor, like he did in Tartarus, with his polar bear helmet. His sword gave me the chills.

"W-Who are you?" Umbridge asked in a shaky voice. Dumbledore had his wand out and pointed at the monsters, but looked unsure of what to do.

"My, my what do we have here? Voldemort sends his regards. Yes, he's in power and very much alive." Koios' laugh echoed throughout the Hall and I couldn't help but shiver.

"Leo, Piper take the drakon. Hazel and Nico, take the hellhounds. Severus help Hermione with the Empousi. I'll take on the Minotaur. Annabeth watch my back. Harry and Ron, do not get any closer than this. You will stay here and shoot spells at the monsters, but do not get closer. Everyone else stay back. Draco, keep Koios busy, I believe in you. Charge!" I raised my sword and charged. I went straight to my target as did the others.

"Students, stay back!" Albus yelled to the wizards. I could sense him put up a force field of sorts.

"Hello, ugly." I yelled at my old foe. I stabbed with my sword, but the Minotaur used his ax to deflect. I could feel spells being shot around me. "Annabeth go assist your brother, I got this." 

"Don't you dare die!" She yelled and ran off towards the Titan.

I was moving the battle towards the lake, seeing as the monsters were aiming for me, but they refused to let me by. So I brought the water to me. I managed to hit the butt of my sword in between the Minotaurs eyes and raise my arm, making the water come to me. I pushed the Minotaur down with it and I stabbed straight down, plunging Riptide hilt deep in his chest. Blood splattered on my face, but then the Minotaur disappeared in yellow dust. I sprinted behind Koios and stabbed him in the arm.

"Tsk, tsk. Shouldn't have done that." Koios mocked, shooting snow at me and sending me back on top of the Gryffindor table. The students gasped.

"You two, help your sister! Annabeth just make sure I don't go off of the reserve!" I laughed slightly. I couldn't see the fight, but it looked like hellhounds were gone. Leo and Piper were having trouble with drakon, which I can understand, since its armor is almost indestructible.

"Perseus, did you enjoy your time in Tartarus? I could bring you back!" Koios mocked, sending another blast of snow at me. I raised my arm and used the drinks to form a shield in front of me. The snow bounced off.

"Sorry Koios, I'm out of vacation days." I charged once again, slashing with my sword. His armor had barely any scratches on it.

"I know what you did to my brother. You made him think he was your friend." Koios growled and slashed at me with his sword. It merely glanced off of me, but I fell down. "So it's true. You have the Curse of Achilles."

"Shut up." I growled. I shot a stream of water at Koios to distract him, but he just froze it and sent it right back. Maybe if I knocked his helmet off, I could send a killing curse at him?

"Poor, poor Iapetus. He was slaughtered by Tartarus. I don't know how he managed to hold the monsters off for so long." I faked going left, and I went right, stabbing him in the chink of his armor and knocking his helmet off. Ichor, blood of the immortals, trailed down the side of his armor. I tried to stab him in the head, but he once again threw me off and I landed hard on the ground.

"A-aveda Kedevra!" I managed, sending the spell straight at the shocked Titan. He grabbed it and threw it at Annabeth. I should have known better.

The wizards were screaming and I was sprinting. I slashed through a Cyclops and threw myself in front of Annabeth. The spell hit me in the back, a few inches above my weak spot.

"Hello Wise Girl." I whispered. The drakon, who was still undefeated, grabbed me in its jaws and shook it's head as if I was a rag doll. My armor started to break from the pressure. I grabbed inside the mouth for a tooth, and slid myself inside the drakon.

I know what you're thinking. Why in Hades would I do that? Well the outside is basically invincible, the inside isn't. I concentrated on the wetness inside of its body and had it surround my sword. I stabbed upwards with all my might, and low and behold. I was covered in drakon intestines, but I was free!

I jumped out, stumbled, and went straight to Koios who was laughing at me. "Almighty Perseus Jackson gets eaten by a drakon! Wait until they hear about this!"

"You can tell them all about it in Tartarus." I muttered. I stabbed Riptide in his right eye.

"What in the-" Before he could finish, I sliced off his head. I grabbed his helmet that was a couple feet away, and I put it on. It automatically shrunk to fit my head. Cool. It's to protect me from falling bricks, not to make me look cool. 

I went over to where the last enemies were, a Cyclops and an Empousi.

"I am Percy Jackson, Son of the Sea God. Go back to your master and tell him that he should be oh so very afraid!" I bellowed. With the last of my strength, I summoned water and swept the two monsters off of their feet. I threw Riptide at the Empousi, who was about to run away, then made a trident. I walked on top of the Cyclops, right on its ugly face and said, "Tell Voldemort I said hi." I threw the trident down, and it impaled the Cyclops's eye.

Cheers erupted all around me, but all I could hear was the roaring of blood in my ears.

"Percy!" Annabeth shouted. I couldn't respond. All I could do was fall backwards before everything went black.

\------------

A/N: Wow I updated! I have a couple of ideas on how I want this story to end and where it's going to go, but I'm not sure yet.

QotD:  
Favourite soda?

Answer:  
I like 7up. I'm more of a water kinda person


	13. Not Everyone is a Winner

Unedited

-Hermione Pov-

After Percy killed the last enemy, he passed out. It must have been the Curse of Achilles that made him so tired. He did get thrown around by a Titan and eaten by a drakon, even if he did have armor on.

"Percy? Percy! C'mon Seaweed Brain, c'mon!" The desperation in Annabeth's voice was heart wrenching as she gently slapped her boyfriend's face.

"I've got it Miss Chase." Severus said. He pulled a blue looking vial out of his robes and lifted Percy's head. He dumped the contents into his mouth.

"S-someone better explain what in the bloody hell is going on!" Umbridge had been silent in shock, watching the battle unravel in front of her. Now, she had her wand drawn, pointing it between Dumbledore and us.

"Now, now Dolores. No need to act dramatic." Dumbledore lifted the shield he placed on the students and walked in front of us. Percy was standing now, leaning heavily on Severus.

"Act dramatic! That boy" -she pointed at Percy- "survived the Killing Curse, killed all sorts of creatures, and used wandless magic. You can't tell me that's normal." Umbridge was hysteric, her fat face covered with sweat.

"She's right." Students were whispering among themselves, pointing in our direction.

"Silence!" Dumbledore stated loudly. He tucked his wand away and we all stared at him, looking at what the next move would be. "I guess I do have some explaining to do."

"I'm calling the ministry!" Umbridge then rushed off to her office, most likely to floo to the ministry.

"What did the man say when he said Voldemort was back?" A brave Gryffindor asked.

"He is back. That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time." Harry looked frustrated, but I couldn't tell if it was from the students or from Umbridge.

"Mr. Potter is correct. You-Know-Who is back and is trying to gain power in order to destroy the wizard world." Dumbledore said calmly. The students looked at one another, frightened. 

"Don't listen to another word he says!" Umbridge squealed. The minister was right behind her, taking in the damage that had happened to the castle.

"He is back, how much more convincing do you need?" Percy's voice was cold, yet quite. He was staring off into the woods, Riptide still drawn. The others and I had sheathed our weapons. Severus had let Percy stand on his own and merely stood next to Dumbledore, staying silent, but looking intimidating.

"Y-you be quite, you freak! You're not human, are you? You're a filthy half-breed!" Umbridge had her wand pointed straight at Percy, voice and arm shaking.

"Don't call him that! We're half-bloods, but that does not give you the right to call of half-breeds!" Annabeth shouted, anger evident in her voice 

"Shut up, you mudblood!" Umbridge then pointed her wand at Annabeth.

"Don't you dare call her that!" Draco stood protectively in front of Annabeth, even if he was two inches shorter.

"Mr. Malfoy, it is unwise of you to be involved in this battle. Come here." Severus barked. Draco sent a cold glare at Umbridge, then moved next to his professor.

"You see what I mean, minister! We shouldn't have allowed these scum into the school!"

"Now, now Dolores. There must have been a logical explanation for what went on here," the minister tried to keep the peace.

"You can look through my memories, can't you?" Percy asked calmly. He had put Riptide away, but was staring longingly at the lake.

"Y-yes, I suppose so. But-"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea! Dumbledore get your pencive." Umbridge laughed sweetly. Dumbledore silently walked out of the Great Hall, most likely to his office.

"You don't have to do this but Percy." I said.

"I'm innocent. It's important for these people to realize that Voldemort is back." Percy finally faced towards the students and was glaring at Umbridge. Dumbledore came back, levitating a giant thing that must have been the pencive. He put it in front of Percy.

"All you have to do is think about the memory you want us to see. Think about it and use your wand to pull the thought out of your memory. We'll see it as you drop it in, in order." Dumbledore explained. Percy just nodded his head.

First, we saw Percy and Harry reach for the Triwizard Tournament cup and them getting teleported. It jump cut to Wormtail chanting at a cauldron, then Voldemort raising. It jump cut back to Percy and Harry reaching the cup and being teleported to Hogwarts. Next thing we saw was the battle that happened not even half an hour ago. The minister was sweating and and looking at the memories with dread. When Percy was talking to Koios, the memories shifted. We saw a dark place that was tinted with a red hue. Percy and Annabeth were standing at chains, next to massive doors that looked like the doors to Olympus. A giant, hideous black creature appeared, causing Percy to drop his sword. Students close enough screamed, one even fainted. I looked at Percy, but his eyes were glossed over and Annabeth had her eyes shut tight. They cut the chains and were standing in front of the doors when a giant silver man- who must have been Bob- shoved them inside the elevator. Percy clutched his head and dropped his wand, grabbing Annabeth and hugging her tightly.

"W-what was that! Where was that! That was a demon! Oh, help us God! Crucio!" Umbridge yelled, pointing her wand at Percy. Instead of glancing off of Percy like I thought it would, it hit him. Percy fell to the floor and started to wither in pain.

"Stop it!" Piper screamed, looking at Percy with fright. Umbridge dropped her wand immediately and looked at the minister.

"Dolores! That is unprovoked behavior! You could be thrown into Azkaban for that!" The minister looked shocked, angry, and upset all at once.

"You saw what was in his head!" Umbridge tried to argue.

"Students, get out. Professors, please escort them out." Dumbledore finally thought that this was as far as the kids got to see.

"Listen here, Dumbitch." Percy growled after standing up. He was leaning heavily on Annabeth, but she seemed unfazed about his weight. "I have seen things that would make you cry. I've done things that I'm not proud of. But I would never, ever hurt somebody on purpose like you did to me. Minister, as the victim of the situation, I would please like to have this women here removed from the premises. And a restraining order." 

"I-I could get that arranged, that's fair. Dolores Umbridge, you are hereby fired from your Defence Against the Dark Arts position." He started clearly.

"But-" 

"No buts. This is final." The minister then looked at Dumbledore. "Do you think you can find a replacement teacher?" 

"Yes, I can get one by Monday." Dumbledore said, although I wasn't sure if he was lying or not.

"Very well. I will not mention this to anyone and I'll make sure she won't either. I trust you have thing under control here Albus. Farewell." And just like that, the minister of magic left with a fuming Umbridge.

"Hermione, Annabeth, do you mind taking Percy to the hospital wing?" Dumbledore looked tired, but his eyes twinkled with kindness.

"Of course." I said. I walked over to the other side of Percy and hooked his arm around my neck.

"Lead the way." Percy mumbled. He was barely conscious, dragging his feet as we walked. After about 10 minutes, we made it to the infirmary.

"I heard what happened. I'm not sure I'll be able to do much, considering his condition. Lay him down. If he isn't better in the morning, I'll call you both immediately." The matron promised. She got a rag and soaked it with water, putting it on Percy's forehead.

"I'll be fine. Bye Hermione, and I love you, Wise Girl." Percy smiled before closing his eyes.

"Goodnight Percy." She placed a kiss on his lips then together we walked to the Gryffindor common room.

-Annabeth Pov-

When we walked into the common room, Harry, Ron, Neville, and the twins were all in a corner while the other occupants of the Gryffindor house were staring fearfully at them.

"What's going on?" I stated bodly as I got within hearing.

"W-we want to know what's going on?!" Dean Thomas' voice shook.

"They tried to tie us to a chair and question us! Thankfully Neville here was able to fix the situation before it got messy." Harry ran his hand through his messy black hair, making his glasses go slightly askew.

"I don't have the patience for this today. C'mon, we'll hold a meeting in Percy's room." I stormed up the staircase to the boys dormitory and stopped on the highest floor. I walked into the room and saw a bed with a fountain. I grabbed a coin and threw it into the water. I was gonna try Percy's idea: To group chat everyone in an Iris Message.

"Show me Nico di Angelo at the Slytherin dorms, please." The the air shimmered and I saw Nico sitting with his knees up to his chest, Draco right next to him looking pale, and Hazel next to him sitting Indian style.

"Hey guys." Hazel said glumly.

"Hey. I'm going to try something, hold on." I grabbed another coin and threw it into the fountain. "Show me Piper McLean at the Hufflepuff dorm, please." I wasn't sure if it was going to work or not so I sat quitely as the others stared at me with confusion. After a minute, a second Iris Message showed up next to the Slytherin one.

"That's cool." The twins mumbled.

"Hermione do you mind trying to brief them on the whole demigod thing while I get this set up?" Piper was sitting on her bed, reading a book.

"Sure thing. Fred, George, c'mon, there are some things I need to explain.." Hermione sighed and led them by the door.

"What's going on?" Piper asked, setting her book down.

"Hold on, let me call Leo and Severus." I said, grabbing two more drachmas. "Show me Leo Valdez at.. wherever he is."

The third Iris Message was placed next to the Slytherin's. Leo was digging around in some sort of chest and Severus was sharpening his sword in the background.

"Hey guys. We wanted to hold a meeting, but going to the Room of Requirements would be difficult since we're being held on lockdown basically. How are your situations?" I asked after everyone was situated.

"I'm just chilling and making Percy a new set armour since the drakon most likely ruined the one I already make for him." Leo was pulling out pieces of Celestial Bronze and placing them on a table.

"After the fiasco, I led Draco and my siblings to the Slytherin dormitory. Pesky kids were waiting at the door, but I made them back off. I went into my room, I'm not sure what happened next." Severus raised his sword to the light and shrugged, putting his sword against the wall.

"Bloody mad they are. My bafoons tried to corner me and threatened to tell my dad what happened. I mean he knew about the monster attack, seeing as Voldemort would have told him, but about me helping Hermione." Draco sighed and looked at the floor, distressed.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked as she walked over with a very confused, and slightly frightened, Fred and George.

"I used the Mist. It's not very powerful, or permanent, I don't think, but I made them forget about the situation. Just snapped my fingers and we rushed into Nico's room," Hazel smiled truimphitly.

"We were just up here trying to plan what to do. Should we tell Draco's father? He might help out his son, but you can never tell with purebloods. What if the monsters recognized Draco and told Voldemort anyways? I don't know what we're going to do honestly." Nico's hair covered his face, casting a shadow that made him look slightly creepy.

"Everyone in Hufflepuff wanted to question me, but they seemed understanding enough. They trust me. They believe that Voldemort is back, but they've stayed quite. So if any of you need refuge, I think Hufflepuff would be a good place." Piper stretched her arms and laid down on the bed with the Iris Message following to see her face.

"What's the situation with Percy?" Severus asked. He looked concerned and slightly agitated.

"Well the nurse lady said that Percy should be fine after a goodnights rest. I'm not sure if she knows about our real blood status or not, I didn't ask." I leaned my head on Hermione. I prayed that Percy would be okay. He would be, right?

"Severus, no offense but... you've seen Voldemort use the Unforgivable before, right? Can Percy recover?" Harry's voice was full of dread and weariness.

"Well it depends on the person. Sometimes a person can make a full recovery. Other times.." His voice trailed off and his gaze landed onto Neville.

"My dad and step-mum, they were tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange so much that they went crazy. They live in the hospital now. If I ever see that Bellatrix again, gods so help me, I might do something." Neville looked determined and saddened. This new information came to a shock for everyone in the room. Who knew that he had to go through that?

"Annabeth?" Nico asked. I looked at him and he looked tensed, on high alert.

"Oh gods, I feel it too." Severus looked rigid, grabbing the table tight.

"Percy's dying." Hazel looked straight at me, fear written all over her face.

"He's what?!" I jumped up onto my feet, panic surging through my body.

"The furies, they are here. Percy's life force... it's gone. Annabeth I don't feel anything, I don't sense him." Nico finished. He looked paler than usual. I flew out the door, ran down the stairs, pushed past the Gryffindors, and sprinted towards the hospital wing.

When I got there, the room was a mess. The matron had three scratches running down her chest, that thankfully weren't deep. The bed Percy was in was not there anymore. The matress was destroyed beyond fix, unless you're a wizard I suppose, and some of the curtains were ripped.

"I came as quickly as I could." Severus said, coming out of the wall. He scanned the room and went into Madam Pomfry's office. He came out with a milk white potion and gently poured it into the women's mouth.

"P-Percy. He's gone." I said to no one in particular, sinking to my knees.

"Aha, that's right little one." A voice said behind me. I turned around to see a leathery old women, dressed in teaching clothes.

"Alecto." Severus said simply, not looking up from his work. 

"It has been a while, my boy. Still gloomy as usual." Alecto let out a laugh that made me cover my ears.

"What'd you do to Percy!" I demanded, storming in front of the Fury and pulling out my dagger.

"I simply aided him to the underworld." Alecto looked amused and smug, crossing her arms with the whip in hand.

"Is he alive? At least tell me that!" I begged.

"I'll see you around, Annabeth Chase." She laughed, disappearing in a flutter of wings.

"I know it's hard, but calm down Annabeth." Severus laid the matron onto a bed that wasn't destroyed and embraced me. "I'm sure that Percy is fine. There's no proof he's dead."

"There's no proof he's alive either." I hugged Severus back, digging my face into his robes and sobbing. I don't remember how long I had been crying, but at some point, I had fallen asleep.

-Nico Pov-

After Annabeth ran out of the room, the Iris Messages disappeared.

"Is Percy dead?" A concerned Draco asked.

"I'm not sure, to be completely honest. I could feel his life force fading until I couldn't feel it anymore. I also felt the furies with him. They might have killed him, I don't know. I really don't.." I was at a lost for words. I didn't feel people's life forces unless they were another child of the underworld or a person close to me. And to feel Percy's from this far away, only shows how much of good friends we are. I have a link to all of the 7's as well, surprisingly.

"I don't know how well Annabeth is going to handle this." Hazel sighed and looked at her hands, probably thinking of a way the Mist, or magic, might help.

"Can you go to the underworld and check to see if Percy is dead or not?" Draco asked, eyes alight.

"Uh, yeah I guess so. I'll be right back." I concentrated on the underworld, the part right at the banks of the Styx, by Cerberus. I usually shadow traveled there first when going into the underworld. I felt the shadows in the room and made my self dissolve. As I was about to appear in my location, I was bounced back and landed on the floor of my room. "I can't go into the underworld."

"You think our Father has sealed off the underworld so we can't go and save Percy?" Hazel helped me up and put me on the bed.

"Could be. I say we hold a real meeting. Let's split up and gather everyone. We'll meet at the Room of Requirements." I said. Hazel and Draco nodded their heads and we went our own separate ways.

[][][] Line Break [][][]

"So tell us what you know. We're just dying to know, what's up with Percy!" Leo joked. Annabeth sent him a glare. "Too soon?" Leo squeaked, cowering from her look.

"Well he's gone. We can't tell if he's alive or not. Alecto is going to be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but she won't give up any information or hints." Severus said. Alecto was going to teach? Ugh, perfect. As if I didn't have to deal with her enough when I was in the underworld. 

"We're going to have a Kindly One as a teacher? I'd rather pass." Neville made a face to try and lighten the mood.

"Why can't we just storm to the underworld and demand Percy back. Hades can have me instead!" Annabeth shouted.

"Well I tried that already. My dad has closed off all entrances and exists to his realm." I said slowly, as to not agrivate Annabeth further.

"You've got to be kidding me. You've got to be freaking kidding me! Hades I swear to the gods I will personally go to Tartarus and claw my way up to the underworld. So help me, give me Percy back! You're going to regret this Hades!" Annabeth was throwing a fit. She was yelling profanities, stomping on the floor, throwing things. We could only sit to the side and watch. Even when Hera took Percy, Annabeth didn't lose her cool like this completely.

"Calm down Annabeth. Please, calm down." Piper soothed. Annabeth stopped her fit, took a deep breathe, and quitely sat down.

"What are we going to do now?" Ron asked, inching away from the daughter of Athena.

"Continue on with our mission. We've got to protect Harry, especially now with Voldemort knowing about us. Hades did say he wanted a soul. Well he got one. Now we just have to wait for Voldemort to make a move." Leo was less energetic, his leg not bobbing up and down as it usually did.

"But we can't just wait for him to make a move!" Harry exclaimed.

"We're going to have to, Harry. Percy might be returned to us before we have to confront Voldemort. You never know." Hermione put her hand on Harry's to try and calm him down.

"Nico, can you go to Olympus?" Annabeth's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Uh, I don't know. Let me try." I concentrated on the Empire State Building. I thought of the double doors that led to Olympus, the pathway that was many miles above the sky. As I was about to appear, I was slammed back by a strong wind, much like what happened when I tried to go to the underworld.

"Nico, you okay?" Fred, or was it George?, asked.

"Yeah, thank you. I think I'm done trying to get into places. I don't want to keep slamming into the floor. But no Annabeth, the doors to Olympus are closed. They must know something." I concluded, grabbing a piece of ambrosia out of my jacket and throwing it into my mouth.

"Of course they do."

"All we can do now is bid our time and hope for the best." I sighed, rubbing my head and leaning against the wall.

"What are we going to tell the students? They are going to want to have answers. Dumbledore also has to say something before the kids start owling home." Severus crossed his arms and puffed his cheeks, much like what a child would do.

"Oh gods who cares about that? What am I going to tell Sally? She just told us that she's pregnant. Now her son is possibly dead... No matter what, we must keep the information about Percy secretive. No sending mail because we don't know if someone is going to try and intercept it. Voldemort can't find out about this or he might attack." Annabeth took out her Yankees cap from her back pocket and stared at it, probably trying pray to Athena.

"Guys this doesn't look good.." Piper muttered. She had pulled out her sword Katoptris and was staring at what must have been images.

"What do you see?" Hazel tried to look over but apparently saw nothing.

"It must be Voldemort. He's sitting at a table, talking to a god or goddess. He has a small army of monsters in a giant cage that's being guarded. The next imagine is of Draco. He's speaking with his father and then his dad raises his wand at him. The last imagine is of us in a giant room. There's shelfs and shelfs of small, glass balls on them. I'm not sure when any of these will come true, but this doesn't look good." Piper summed up, putting her sword in its sheath.

"You've got a sword that can see into the future!?" One of the twins asked.

"It should teach divination instead of Tweanely!" The other twin responded, laughing.

"That was a bit harsh." Hermione said, though she did laugh too.

After a while of mindless chatter, I suggested that we all sleep here just for the wizards to cool down from today's events. We all nodded in agreement and the room obliged. As I was climbing into bed, I heard Severus groan in pain. "Are your alright?" I asked slightly panicked.

"It's Voldemort," -he pulled up his sleeve and held the Dark Mark- "he's summoning me."

\------

This chapter was a bit rushed, not going to lie. It's pretty late, but I thought you guys deserved a chapter. It helps move the plot forward, although I'm not sure where the plot is going. What happened with Percy? Why did Voldemort summon Severus? Is Draco's dad going to find out about his sons true blood status? Stay tuned to find out..

QotD:  
Do you follow a religion?  
Answer:  
I'm Atheist, although my mom is Catholic.


	14. A Broken Record

-Severus Pov-

I  quickly shadow travelled out of Hogwarts then apperated to Malfoy Manor where Voldemort was currently residing. I walked into the parlour room, handing my robes to a house elf. As I took my usual seat, other Death Eaters started to fill in the places at the table.

"Hello Severus." Lucius greeted as he sat next to me. I simply gave a curt nod and focused myself. It was times like these where I had to shield my mind extra tight, hiding away memories and making the ones from today change slightly, just in case Voldemort wanted to look at my memories.

"Ah, nice for you all to finally arrive." Voldemort drawled as he walked to his throne at the head of the table. "You must be wondering why I've summoned you all here at this hour. There are a couple of things I want to discuss. Lucius?"

The man next to me cleared his throat. "The Dark Lord has made an incredible breakthrough recently. He discovered that he can read Harry Potter 's thoughts," Lucius paused dramatically and I felt my blood run cold, although I kept my expression emotionless. "While trying to learn his weaknesses, our Lord has found something out about the Percy Jackson boy. It turns out he and his friends are filthy half-breeds."

My eyes grew a fraction of an inch at this. Why hadn't Harry said anything? Unless he didn't know? Was Voldemort able to find out about me or Draco? How much did Voldemort know? I was giving myself a headache, but kept my mental barriers up.

"Indeed. They are half human and half god. First I didn't believe this nonsense, but it seemed correct. Potter has met gods himself. So then I thought to myself, 'If someone as unworthy as Potter can seek assistance from a god, then I must be able to as well'. It took some work, but I was finally able to contact the goddess of magic, Hecate." Voldemort all but grinned an evil grin. Claps resonated throughout the mansion.

"A real goddess? But what does that have to do with anything?" Crabbe senior asked. Voldemort sneered at him and threw an unforgivable on him. This gave me time to think. Why would Hecate help Tom Riddle? Did she never switch sides and wanted to destroy the Greeks and the wizards?

"You see, Hecate has valuable resources. All I have to do is ask for her and she'll give me what I want." Tom Riddle laughed then closed his eyes. A grey mist formed next to him, causing Nagini to hiss. Instead of seeing Hecate, as I thought I would, there was a completely different goddess. One that I recognized all too well. It was the one who tried to encourage me to take revenge on Tom after he killed Lily. It was Nemesis, goddess of revenge.

"Hello Voldemort," Nemesis said levelly, looking not all that impressed by the amount of Dark Wizards that sat before her. She took a look around the table and stopped at me briefly, smirking, but not saying a word.

"I want you to tell me what happened today with the monsters I told you to send to Hogwarts." Tom gashed his teeth and looked as if expecting that everyone died.

"Why don't you ask your teacher you have stationed there?" Nemesis replied smoothly, a shark-like smile on her face.

"Fine. Severus what happened today? And it better be good news." Tom sent me a glare that he thought looked intimidating at me, and held up his wand as if examining it.

"We were in the Great Hall when the monsters attacked. It appeared to be some Cyclops, Hellhounds, a drakon, a Minotaur, and two other creatures I couldn't identify." I listed clearly for all to hear. 

"They were Empousi and a Titan," Nemesis chipped in, her unblinking eyes never leaving mine.

"Of course they were. Dumbledore specifically instructed me to defend the students, seeing as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was frozen in fear. The titan announced itself and told everyone you were back. The Americans, as well as Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter joined in the fight. Th-"

"You're missing a student." Nemesis all but laughed, knowing my predicament.

"My apologies. Young Draco Malfoy also found himself in the battle," I kept my voice calm and leveled, but I dreaded where this conversation might lead.

"Interesting. What did Draco do?" Voldemort sat forward, eyes trained on mine. A silent threat that if he thought I was even lying, he'd penetrate my mind right away.

"He decided that it'd be best to show his peers his strength. To prove his worth to you, my Lord," I lied smoothly.

"Who was he protecting?" Nemesis was now on my list of gods I hated. She was before, but she was definitely on the top 5 now.

"He found himself protecting the mudblood Granger and Potter as well," I said distastefully, which wasn't hard because the word mudblood was a word I absolutely despised.

"He what?!" Lucius stood up, slamming his hands on the table in rage. "Is this true? Please tell me it's not. Don't tell me my own son is a blood traitor." He demanded.

"Yes it's very true. Saved her life from one of the empousi. A scratch from their claws can poison you quickly, leading to death. Draco had killed it while Hermione was busy with a Cyclops. Don't fret, however, your son isn't a blood traitor." Nemesis smirked. Of course Draco wasn't, he was a half-blood just like myself and Hermione.

"Enough, I have no interest in the disappointment that's Draco right now. Tell me what happened to Jackson," I suddenly became nervous, but hid my emotions well.

"He fought the drakon and won. He fought the titan and won. He then took out the remaining monsters," I concluded, praying that Nemesis would keep her mouth shut. But she didn't. Why did the fates have to be so cruel?

"After that, he was taken to the hospital wing. He seemingly disappeared, but Hades took him. So you don't need to bother yourself with him any more," How did she know that? Did she sense it or was she there?

"So he's gone. Sure Potter still has some of those half-breeds as protection, but they've lost their leader. Good.. good." Voldemort mumbled to himself, waving a hand as a dismal to the goddess. She simply bowed and was out of sight.

"Now for our next order of business," Voldemort cleared his throat, "we are going to release my faithful servants that were sentenced to Azkaban..."

~~

"Severus." Lucius whispered from the kitchen. The meeting was over, and I was going to head outside so I could go back to Hogwarts and debrief everyone on what happened.

"Yes?" I sighed, walking into the kitchen away from everyone else.

"We've been friends all throughout Hogwarts and afterwards, so it's only fair if we're honest to each other." He took a sip from his firewhisky and stared at me. I was unsure if he wanted me to say something or not, so I stared back. "Draco isn't actually a pureblood."

I feigned surprise and looked at my friend. "He's not?"

"H-he's a half-blood. But not any half-blood. He's a demigod. His mother came to me in a dream a few days ago. She explained everything. I tried to contact her, but to no avail. I'm scared Severus, I'm not going to lie." He then chugged the rest of the glass and looked at me with tired eyes.

"Well if we're being honest, then I already knew Lucius. And I am one as well. But it's too risky to be talking about it, especially here. Maybe another day, I've got to get going."

"Oh. Right. Just please look out for my son." Lucius stared out of the window wistfully.

"Of course. Goodnight Lucius." I walked out and apperated to Hogwarts then shadow travelled back into the Room of Requirements. Surprisingly, most of the demigods were awake. Annabeth was off towards the back of the room sparring with dummies, Piper and Hazel gossiping, Leo making a potion, Draco and Nico playing some sort of game, and Hermione and Harry playing wizards chest next to them. The only people asleep were the Wesley's and Neville.

"Ah, Severus, you're back. Tell us everything," Nico said. He probably sensed me come in. The people stopped what they were doing and looked at me suddenly.

"Very well. Let's get comfortable," I grumbled.

We ended up having the room create a separate room for us, small with a fire place and sofas. For some reason this was our preferred way of having meetings. I had Hermione help me finish Leo's potion quickly, as it might have exploded, so we ended up sitting next to each other. Again. Everyone sat with their usual people, but it was Harry who sat next to Annabeth for reassurance.

"First of all, what are you guys doing up at this hour?" It was 1:37 am. Sure there were no classes tomorrow, seeing as it was Saturday, but still. 

"We wanted to hear what You-Know-Who said." Draco looked at me with desperation of sorts.

"Well Voldemort found out about you being demigods from Harry." All eyes went to said boy.

"B-But I didn't tell him anything! I swear I didn't!" Harry moved away from Annabeth who was sending him a death glare.

"Did you see him in your dreams? Felt anyone in your head?" Nico asked, studying Harry for any signs that he'd be lying.

"W-well y-yeah. There was a cabinet and he was reading the files while I walked around a room. It was the one Piper described, with glass spheres on racks. It was endless almost," Harry revealed.

"He was reading the files? He was reading your thoughts, your memories! Thank the gods it hadn't said anything about me or Draco. If it did, I would have died at the meeting Harry. Do you understand that?" I tried to keep my anger in control. Why hadn't the twat said anything? Maybe seeing Voldemort in your dreams was an important sign!?

"Y-yes I understand." He didn't meet anyone's eyes, probably feeling embarrassed.

"You've got to tell us next time, okay Harry?" Hermione asked gently.

"Okay.." He muttered, still not making eye contact.

"Yes, well anyways. Voldemort found a way to contact a goddess. He's convinced it's Hecate, but it's Nemesis." I paused for that to sink in.

"You mean the goddess of revenge? Gods, I fucking hate her. I've learned my lesson: to never ever ask her for help." Leo growled, pulling his knees to his chest.

"Why hasn't Hecate interfered?" Hazel asked.

"She probably can't. That might be why the gods have gone silent again. They're waiting for this to unravel because they can't interfere anymore. The cards are on the table." Annabeth guessed, shrugging her shoulders.

"That's not the worst part. Voldemort thinks Percy is dead. Well.. Nemesis did pretty much confirm it." I took a wary glance at Annabeth who set her jaw and tensed her shoulders.

"But he had the Curse of Achilles, he shouldn't have died without his soul burning away or something, right?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Dad probably took the Curse off of him when the Furies brought him to the underworld." Nico twisted the skull ring on his finger.

"Since Percy is gone, Voldemort is going to use this to his advantage. I'm not sure exactly what he's planning, but he's probably going to restlessly attack us. And he's trying to attack Azkaban somehow to free some of the prisoners," I summarized.

"Did my father say anything about me?" Draco asked, his voice barely audible.

"He told me that he knew of your blood status. I revealed to him that I was a demigod as well and that I was going to protect you." 

"Thank you," Draco said simply.

"So.. what are you guys going to do over Winter Break?" Piper asked to avoid awkward silence. Everyone was contributing to the conversation except for Annabeth who was obviously lost in her own thoughts.

I leaned back to enjoy the comfort of the sofa and the chat going on around me. Before these lot came, I was often alone in the cold dungeons. No one wanted to seek the company of the old bat. I had been working for Voldemort for a while, so the cynical attitude wasn't all my fault. Besides, students should care more about their classes. The only way to teach a class was to assert dominance. If not, they'd do whatever they wanted. And if they did, that'd result in potions blowing up and an absolute mess.

I felt a new weight find itself on my left shoulder, but ignored it, still deep in thought. Would it really hurt to make friends with Minerva? She was a nice lady, occasionally, and smart enough to hold conversation without it being dull. Even if she was a stubborn tabby cat, she would be a good friend. We were close before, but four years ago we started to drift away when Harry showed up because of all the ruckus he's caused.

The weight on my shoulder shifted and I finally looked to see what it was. It was Hermione Granger, in all her glory, sleeping on me. I just stared at her awkwardly, unsure of what to do. I looked up and no one had noticed, still engaged in their conversations or deep in thought. I could wake her up and see the embarrassment on her face or I could simply get up and go to my chambers or I could just send everyone off to bed.

"Hermione." I whispered, nudging her head with my shoulder. She simply gave a small groan but didn't move or wake up. "Hermione," I said a bit louder. Still no response. "Ms. Granger, if you do not get off of me this instance I will fail you in my class," I threatened. And sure enough she woke up, eyes bulging, and stared at me with those big, brown eyes.

"P-Proffesor, I'm so sorry. I hadn't meant to fall asleep, please don't fail me," Hermione looked embarrassed, with her cheeks flushed a bright red.

"I won't. I was merely trying to get you off without touching you." I responded, smirking at her gullibleness.

"Thank you Severus. Oh gods, that was embarrassing," Hermione covered her face and tried to tame her wild hair.

"I think it would be wise if we all went to sleep. It's been a long day, after all." I announced loudly after a long yawn.

"But why?" Leo whined, much like a child would, and much to my displeasure.

"I'm the oldest one in the room, so what I say, goes," I rolled my eyes.

"Technically I'm in my 80's-" I gave Nico a cold glare, "-but that doesn't matter. We're going to bed."

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Everyone got up and shuffled out of the room, proceeding to the beds that they had conjured up earlier. The room we were just in vanished with a pop.

"I'll see you all later. Goodnight." I walked out of the room and headed for the dungeons.

-Annabeth Pov-

I woke up feeling queasy. Percy was gone, just like that. I wasn't as upset as I was angry. But I wasn't sure what I was angry at. Percy for leaving me again? I suppose that played a factor, but he couldn't have done much. Voldemort because he sent the monsters here in the first place? Yes that played a major part as well. But I was mostly angry at the gods-Nemesis right at top. How dare she take away the man who went to hell and back for me?

"Annabeth? I know you're not doing so well, but let's go eat some breakfast." Piper grabbed my arm and dragged me out of bed. The daughter of Aphrodite was the best to handle me with my mood swings ever since that time we spent in Athens, so the demigods probably thought she'd be best to handle me at the moment.

"I'm not even dressed," I complained as we headed down a flight of stairs.

"Do you really care?" Piper smirked, holding my hand as we walked down the hall.

"Not really." I agreed. I had on one of Percy's shirts and some gym shorts. 

"You know, on our break, I can help you look for him. I know he's not dead. I can feel it." Piper squeezed my hand reassuringly as we headed towards the Hufflepuff table.

"Thank you Piper, it means a lot, really. I know he'll find his way back to me, we always do. I just have to stay focused on the task at hand." 

She let go of my hand and we sat next to each other. People from other tables were casting glances at me, unsure if they should say anything or not.

"You must be Annabeth. I'm Cedric Diggory, nice to meet you." A boy sitting across from me shook my hand and I returned the gesture.

I grabbed some food and started to eat. I would have to write Sally since Voldemort already knew. I have to tell Chiron too... I sighed and stabbed a piece of my eggs. Why couldn't have Hades taken me instead? It would have been easier. Rather me then him.

"Annie, I know you're upset, but don't stab your food," Piper chided next to me, hiding a smile with her hand.

"It's Annabeth." I grumbled as I shoved the piece I was stabbing into my mouth.

My thoughts started to travel again. I would have to cancel my plans with my step mother.. wouldn't want to meet her in the state I was in. Telling Chiron was going to be the hard part, he's lost so many heros and lived through many deaths. Eventually he'd have to see us die, too, and pass on the stories about us. About the first son of Poseidon in centuries. About the daughter of Athena who found the lost Athena Parthenon. The son on Jupiter who was the first to go to the Greek camp in centuries. The daughter of Aphrodite who used her charmspeak for good and put the Earth Goddess to sleep. The son of Hades who learned to accept himself and became more friendly. The son of Heapshetus who was born with the ability of fire, a power that was rare. The son of Mars who can shapeshift and be kind to others. And about the daughter of Pluto who conquered her past, and who beat her curse.

"Annabeth are you okay? You're crying." Piper wept a stray tear from my face. When did I start to cry?

"I'm fine. I just- I need to be alone." I got up and saw Piper nod her head in agreement. 

I walked to the Gryffindor common room and up to my room. I sat on my bed, grabbed something to write on, and some parchment with a quill. I'd prefer to write Sally and Iris Message Chiron. It'd just help me feel less guilty.

'Dear Sally Jackson,

     Percy and I were very excited about the news of our Christmas present. We even thought about our own future a little. Would we want to raise our child in the mortal world or in one of the camps? Or gods forbid, maybe in the wizard world? I decided on two children, but who knows. The fates are unpredictable..  
     Sally, Percy is gone. Hades took him. Voldemort sent monsters to attack Hogwarts and we obviously took them on. Percy got eaten by a drakon- gods did he have to be such a seaweed brain?- and then defeated the titan we faught. One of the professor's casted an unforgivable on Percy. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but Percy fell on the floor and started to wither in pain. Thankfully, Piper was able to stop that wretched woman. Hermione and I carried Percy into the infirmary and the nurse promised us that he'd be fine after a goodnights rest. Percy assured us that he'd be fine, the Curse of Achilles was just making him sleepy. So we agreed and left. We were holding a meeting when Nico goes white all of a sudden and announces that Percy is dying. Then Severus says that the Furies were in the castle. I ran as fast as I could, gods I ran, and went I got there, the room was a mess. Percy obviously put up a fight and protected the nurse, although she had some injuries. Alecto, one of the Furies, told us that she personally escorted him to Hades.  
     Severus was then summoned by Voldemort and Nemesis was there, goddess of revenge and whatnot. She also announced that Percy was indeed in Hades. It sounds like she's hinting that he's dead, but I know Percy. He's alive, I just know he is. I know he probably didn't want me to write you unless I knew for sure that he was dead. But I thought you deserved to know that he was taken from us again. This was very hard for me to write, but I felt that it was only right. Now I got to IM Chiron and let him know. Then I've got to write my mom to tell her that I can't come over for Christmas.. I'm sorry Sally. I really am. I'll do everything I can to get him back, I promise. I love you and happy holidays.  
          Fondly,  
                        Annabeth Chase'

Tears had started to fall from my face as I proofread for any mistakes. When I saw none, I casted a spell to allow my letter to convert to English.

"Merlin." I called into my empty room. I knew she was in the owlery, but she always heard me when I called. I waited a few moments and sure enough, there was a great horned owl tapping my window. I got up and opened it. She flew in and landed on my table. "Hey girl. I need you to take this to Sally Jackson. You can stay there while she writes a response, okay?" I tied the letter to her foot and fed her some snacks. I waited until she was a little dot in the sky to turn around and call Chiron.

I grabbed my rainbow making spray gun and inserted a drachma inside. "O Iris, please show me Chiron at Camp Half-blood." I chanted while spraying the bottle. Chiron was wearing his chest plate with a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder, bow in hand. He was in the middle of an archery lesson. "Is this a bad time?"

"Ah, Annabeth! It's nice to see you, no right now is fine," He smiled, although an arrow flew right passed his face.

"Are you sure?" I tried to suppress a laugh when an arrow bounced off his armor.

"Yes. I need a distraction from these Hermes kids," He smiled kindly, but his eyes sagged slightly.

"I'll provide you with a distraction, although I'm not sure it'll be a good one." I admitted, wringing my hands together. How was I going to approach this? "Well you see.. it's about Percy."

"What has he done this time?" Chiron's smile dissolved into a frown, as if noticing my grim expression just now.

"It's not so much as what he's done really. He's gone. Not like Hera gone, we know where he is kinda. He's in the underworld, but Hades has sealed the underworld. Then the gods have closed the gates to Olympus. Things over here aren't going too great. Voldemort knows about us and has sent monsters; he's working with Nemesis." I rushed, tears threatening to fall again.

"I see," He was quite for some time. His tail flickered and he was skittish like he is when he's nervous. "I know this is hard for you Annabeth, but I believe in you. You'll pull through and make a brilliant plan. You and Percy were strong, but you're just as strong with him at your side or not. You still have your friends with you and they depend on you. You're the leader and they'll look at you for guidance. It might feel like you're holding the weight of the world all over again, but this time you have support. Use it," Chiron dodged a flaming arrow, "It seems like I've got to get going. I'm here if you ever need advice." He smiled at me one last time before an arrow whizzed through the message.

"Thank you Chiron," I whispered anyways.

I pulled out another piece of parchment and thought about what my mentor had said. I was strong. And I was an independent person. Sure Percy was a part of me, but I was my own person. I could manage until he came back. I shook my head and stared at the parchment. I think I'd prefer to write to my dad, seeing as he'd be easier to connect to.

'Dear Frederick,

     I am sorry to inform you that I am not able to make it for Christmas. My boyfriend has disappeared again. This time is a bit different though, seeing as Hades took him. I'm fine though, really. Tell Bobby and his brother that I miss them. And tell your wife that her letter was thoughtful and well appreciated. I would have really liked to have come over, but as I've told you I can't. I'm going to try and venture into the underworld to get him back. And I know what you're thinking. I'll be fine, I've been to the underworld and Tartarus before. Anyways, how's your work going? Weren't you writing a thesis of some sorts? I'd like to read it, if you wouldn't mind.  
          Sincerely,  
                             Annabeth Chase

     P.S. This is Percy's Water Phoenix. He enjoys fish and bird treats, if you have any. He'll wait for you to respond, so take your time. He kind of teleports, I'll get your response within the hour.'

I rolled up the parchment and concentrated on Percy's Phoenix. "Neptune can you deliver this for me?" I called into the empty room. I wasn't sure where the bird was actually, but Percy told me that this was how he summoned his bird when he was going to send a letter. And sure enough, the bird showed up, perched on my bed post. "Hey Neptune. I was hoping you could send this letter to my dad? He lives in California, San Francisco," I muttered the address as I attached it to the bird. "And can you wait for a response? Thank you." I patted him and watched in amazement as he dissolved in a puddle of water and disappeared.

~~

It was Monday already and we had Care of Magical Creatures today with Hagrid. I spent most of the weekend talking to my father and Sally. Sally had all but begged for me to come over on Christmas Eve and spend the night for Christmas. I agreed, seeing as I felt guilty and needed the comfort anyways.

"Hey, Annabeth? Can you hear me?" Harry waved his hand in front of my face to get my attention.

"Huh? Oh yes, sorry. I was thinking." I swatted his hand lightly from in front of my face and he laughed.

"We were wondering what you were going to do for Christmas," Hermione spoke up as she adjusted her tie.

"I'm going over to Sally's. What are you doing?" 

"We're probably going to be with Sirius and the Wesley's," Harry grinned.

"Alright. I'll send my gifts for you guys there then," I smiled. I already knew what I was getting Hermione, Harry I had an idea, and Ron I would probably get him some candy.

"What are the others going to be doing?" Hermione asked as we made our way to Hagrid's hut.

"I'm not sure actually. I believe Leo is going to camp to be with his girlfriend, Nico might stick with me for a while before going with his boyfriend. I think Piper said that she and Jason were going to her dad's in California. Hazel might be with Frank, but she hasn't said anything yet," I thought aloud.

"I think our owls will be able to find them. Hopefully." Harry laughed a good laugh and shrugged. "What'd ya reckon we're going to learn about today?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. Something has been bothering Hagrid since yesterday, but he wouldn't tell us what." Hermione sighed in frustration and before we knew it, we stood in front of said person/giant.

"Heya 'Arry, 'Mione, 'Beth." Hagrid greeted. Only a selected few people were able to call me that, but Hagrid was a kind guy at heart, so I let it slide.

"Ello Hagrid! What are we going to do today?" Harry asked.

"Ah, just yer wait till the others get here. It needs ta be said all together." He said vaguely and walked towards the edge of the forest.

"I guess we'll just wait here then," I sighed. A couple of minutes later came Ron with Neville, then Draco with Crabbe and Goyle. Then the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherin's showed up within the minutes.

"Alright, gather around. C'mon, c'mon." Hagrid motioned for us to get closer, so we did, even if some of the students did so hesitantly. "We were gonna go see some Threstals today, but there's, uh, somethin' in the woods. Skilled hunter of some sorts, there es. But we'll be fine. You've got a good teacher and 'Beth and 'Mione will protect ya," Hagrid beamed at us with delight.

"We don't need help from a filthy mudblood or a half breed," Draco sneered, although I could tell his heart wasn't into it. His goons laughed, but Draco's face showed discomfort and sadness.

"Malfoy! We don't use those kind uf words here!" Hagrid's eyes widened but I just shook my head. 

"Well, c'mon. Let's go see these Threstals." I took the lead into the forest, and Hagrid followed right behind.

We made it into the clearing where the dark horses who pull the carriages were. They were minding their own business really, walking around and hunting for food.

"Raise yer hands in you can see 'em." I raised my hand as did a couple others. Hagrid looked at us sadly. "Nico ye think ya can explain to the class what these are?" 

"Threstals," Nico began as he walked up to one and petted it, "can only be seen by a person who has seen somebody die. They are peaceful horses and no one really minds them because most people are lucky enough to avoid seeing people die." Nico petted the horse and started mumbling in Greek, probably some soothing words.

"Ye, that's right. Sad really. But-" A branch snapped in front of us and there was a shadow. It looked like it was wearing a parka or something. It had a bow at the ready, an arrow pointed in our position. It was a couple yards away, so I doubt the person could make out faces. 

"Where am I?" They demanded. It was a voice I recognized, but I drew my blade in front of me, Hermione pulling out her wand.

"What do you mean where are you? You're the one-" An arrow whizzed past her head, into the tree behind us. Some of the students screamed.

"Next time, I won't miss," the voice threatened. For sure I knew this voice. Who did I know that was a smartass and good with a bow and arrow?

"Okay kids, just get behind me, everything will be fine." Hagrid said softly. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Hazel, Nico, and I stood protectively in front of our teacher and the students.

"For the last time, just tell me where I am! For the love of Zeus, it's not that hard!" The figure stepped out of the shadow and into our line of sight. Her eyes bulged once she saw us and she lowered her bow. I took a tentative step forward.

"Thalia? What in Hades brought you here?"

\-----

A/N: I got a new chapter out, finally. Lots of talk about Percy. I promise we'll get to see his Pov and Thalia's next chapter. I'm a procrastinator, so sorry about that.

QotP:  
Would you rather be a hunter or an Amazon?  
Answer:   
I'd wanna be a hunter tbh.


	15. All About Thalia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All from Thalia's perspective and it's about her time at Hogwarts.

-Thalia Pov-

I woke up sprawled on the floor in some forest. It was going to be a nice Sunday morning, you know? The hunters and I had just finished our hunt of a werewolf. We were going to enjoy our Sunday off, walk around the city, possibly recruit some people. But of course that wasn't going to happen.

I had a dream with Artemis in it. Recently, this is how she's been communicating with us because something is happening in Olympus. She had asked me if I trusted her and I obviously said yes. She then told me about wizards, which I had some knowledge about, and teleported me some where. 

I looked around my surroundings. It appeared to be mid day, the sun was barely noticeable from the amount of trees. I still had my bow with a good amount of arrows, my circlet, my spear, my hunting knives, and my bracelet that was my shield.

I decided it'd be best to look around a little. Artemis must have sent me here for a reason. 

After a couple of hours of getting to know my surroundings in the forest, I started to hunt for food. I set up a couple of makeshift traps and ran into a few weird monsters. I saw a centaur, but it didn't look anything like a party pony. He seemed serious and dangerous and didn't answer any of my questions. 

~~

The next day I woke up with a sore back. My parka was able to keep me warm, thankfully, but the floor of the forest wasn't all that comfortable. I ate some of the berries I had eaten the day before and collected what little items I had. I made sure to cover my tracks and I started to wander around again.

After a while, I heard some voices. I drew my bow and silently walked toward the voices. I saw a bunch of dark horses in a clearing with a bunch of kids and a giant man.

"Where am I?" I demanded the people who stood in front of me. I could make out maybe 20 people? A couple of them stood in a protective ring, pulling out their weapons and wands.

"What do your mean where are you? You're the one-" I shot an arrow right next to the person who had spoken. Everyone screamed.

"Next time I won't miss," I threatened.

"Okay kids, just get behind me, everything will be fine." The giant man said with gentleness. I rolled my eyes. All I wanted was answers!

"For the last time, just tell me where I am! For the love of Zeus, it's not that hard!" I stepped towards the group and immediately my eyes widened at the sight. I wasn't expecting this.

"Thalia? What in Hades brought you here?" Annabeth asked, equally as confused as I was.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Nico? Hazel? What the hell is going on?" I demanded, slinging my bow on my shoulder.

"You know her?" The giant man asked. The demigods had lowered their weapons but what must have been the wizards still had their wands drawn and pointed at me.

"Yeah. This is Thalia." Annabeth introduced. I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms.

"Yeah? Is she Nico's sister? She dresses like it." A redhead said in a shaky voice.

I took out my mace canister and it turned into my spear. I pointed it at the sky and thrusted it upwards. Lightning came from the sky, hit my spear, and the electricity crackled around me.

"My name is Thalia and I am a daughter of Zeus, sister of Jason. I'm Artemis' right hand lady, second in command. I'm a hunter of Artemis, immortal, and a maidan. And who are you?" The winds died down and so did the electricity that was around me.

"R-Ronald W-Weasley." The boy stuttered out. I smirked and had a smug expression on my face. Bet I scared the crap out of him!

"Thalia, these are my friends. Don't scare them." Annabeth chided. She came and gave me a bear hug and I hugged her right back, confusing everyone who was watching.

"I missed you," I whispered in her ear. Gods, I missed having my friends around.

"Right, er, well class dismissed, I say. Seems like you 'ave a lot to catch up on." The giant man said.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Annabeth beamed. "C'mon guys, we should go talk to Dumbledore."

I gave her a confused look but let her drag me to an enormous castle. How did I miss that? I walked in somewhat of a trance, watching talking portraits interact with each other. Finally we made it to a place where a statue was sitting. Harry whispered something to it and it moved, revealing a staircase. We walked up the stairs to an office decorated with weird shit all over the place.

"Excuse me Dumbledore, do you have a minute?" Hermione asked the man sitting in a chair at a desk. He didn't seem at all fazed that they weren't in class. 

"Yes of course, what do you need?" The man seemed kind enough, but something was off about him.

"We have a new friend, who we believe is going to be here until Percy returns." Annabeth gestured towards me. I nodded my head unsurely.

"I'm Thalia, daughter of Zeus." I stared at him and he stared right back. I could feel him in my head and I allowed him to see the memories from Artemis talking to me to now. He nodded his head.

"Indeed. That's fine, let's just get her sorted." Dumbledore gestured for me to sit down and I did. He got an old looking hat and placed it on top of me.

'Another demigod, I see. There are a bunch of you this year.' A voice, I assumed was the hat, said in my head. 'Alright let's see. You're loyal to your cause. You're quite knowledgeable. Bravery is strong with you. Sacrificed yourself for your friends? Turned into a tree! How was that?'

"How did you think it was? I was a freaking tree!" I exclaimed aloud. I saw Nico shiver.

'Yeah? And I'm a hat. Let's see, you're ambitious alright. Slytherin or Gryffindor?'

"Just pick one. I don't care either way." I mumbled under my breathe and I rolled my eyes.

'Fine.' If the hat had arms, it would totally cross them. "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat said aloud. Dumbledore took it off and nodded his head in agreement.

"So, now what?" I asked, looking at Annabeth.

"We'll get you some clothes before going to our next class." Annabeth grabbed my arm and rushed me around the castle once again, everyone in tow.

~~

"Slytherins! But you're the demigods.. fine. Just don't break anything!" A talking portrait said before swinging open and revealing a room. I walked in and Annabeth dragged me to the top of one of the towers.

"Oh look! They added a bed and got you some stuff." Annabeth walked over to I guess my bed. There was a trunk at the foot of it and a long skinny box on my bed. I went to the trunk first.

In it, had some robes like the wizards wore and some of my clothes with knives and whatnot. I shooed the girls out of the room and I changed quickly and I took the skinny box downstairs with me.

"That must be your wand." Hermione said excitingly.

"Do you have wands?" I asked Nico, Hazel, and Annabeth. They nodded. I opened the box and took out my wand. It felt powerful and I took a liking to it right away.

"What's the paper say?" Hermione questioned.

I put my wand down and picked up the paper. "Pine wood, 15.75", flexible, and unicorn hair?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Pine wood wands usually choose people who are an individual, intriguing, and or mysterious. It's creative with its spells, and people who own these wands usually live a long life. Wish must be kind of true for you, since you are immortal. Long wands usually mean you're strong, flexible wands are good with any spells mostly. Unicorn hair cores are usually easy to use spells with, can't really do Unforgivables with them, bond with first owner strongly, but if you mishandle your wand, it'll be upset." Hermione finished with a shit eating smile.

"You got all of that, from those four things?" My mouth was hung open slightly, this girl impressed me.

"Yeah, I'm a little bit of a nerd. I'm a daughter of Athena too, forgot to mention that." She laughed shyly and her cheeks tinged red.

"What are your wands made of?" I asked my friends. Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows and Nico looked deep in thought.

"You know, we never really cared to find out." Hazel laughed, pulling out her wand and examining it.

"Well Hermione is definitely going to help me figure it out because I'm interested!" Who knew you could actually learn stuff from a person's wand?

"Alright." Hermione laughed. "We better get going. If you see Severus, tell him we're going to have a meeting in the Room of Requirements after dinner." Nico nodded and the children of the underworld walked out of the room.

"So what's our next class?" I asked, as if I actually cared.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts. I'm not sure what we're going to do, since we have a new teacher." Ron answered. I nodded my head and followed my new friends and Annabeth to class.

"You know, tomorrow Harry is going to have a meeting with our club of sorts. I can help you learn magic?" Annabeth offered.

"Really? Fuck yeah! That's probably why Artemis sent me here." I smiled. We turned a corner and walked into a classroom. Students were just entering, when I saw a familiar Hispanic boy.

"Leo?" I asked. Said boy turned around and looked confused.

"Thalia?" He asked. His hair sightly caught fire with his confusion.

"We'll explain later. Meeting after dinner." Annabeth said before pulling me in a seat next to her. We waited about 5 minutes before the door slammed opened. The hairs on my arms stood straight up.

"Hello class." A voice I recognized said. She walked in front of the classroom and I growled, causing her to look straight at me.

"Alecto." My voice was cool, but the tension in the room was evident. Blue sparks flickered on me, a usual thing that happens when I'm angry.

"Thalia." The Fury responded. I stood up and we were staring each other down, everyone in the class casting wary glances at us.

"Thalia, sit down please." Annabeth pleaded.

"Today's first lesson is going to be a demonstration by Thalia and I. Everyone move your desks to the side of the room and watch. This may get bloody." Everyone instantly did what they were told. Annabeth looked reluctant, but finally moved to the side.

"What's your weapon of choice?" I asked.

"I'll go with my whip. You may use your silly daggers or your spear. Whichever." Alecto took out her whip from her bag and I took out my can. It transformed into my spear. I tossed my bow with my quiver towards Annabeth, and it morphed back into a backpack.

"Ready?" I sneered. She nodded and we lunged at each other. I brought my spear down towards her, but she used her whip to snatch it out of my hands. I tapped my bracelet and it turned into Aegis, my shield. Alecto hissed at it and the people who were watching the fight whimpered.

I pulled a dagger from the inside of my boot and slashed at her. While she tried to grab it again, I spun in a circle, bringing my shield down on her face. She hissed again, in pain this time, and I brought my knife down. I got her in the arm, but she just pushed me off and hit me with the whip. My back stung, but I pulled out the other knife from my other pocket. The hard part was getting in close, the whip could easily hit me.

I threw my knife at Alecto, shocking her for a second, before I dived for my spear. The length would help me. Alecto hit me with the whip again and I groaned, trying to use my spear to get her off her feet.

"Give up, Thalia Grace." Alecto chuckled. I rolled out of the way in time and threw my shield Captain America style.

"Don't call me that!" I screamed in rage. Grace was my moms name, and she was hardly a mother towards me. I raised my spear and lightning came straight to it, causing the windows to break. I pointed it towards the Fury and she got electrocuted. I stood over her, panting, with my spear under her throat. "Dead." I huffed.

"My, my. You've grown from last time. You didn't need your daddy to turn you into a tree this time." Alecto mocked. I put my combat boot on her chest and pressed down.

"Don't you dare speak about that, or I will send you to Tartarus." I dug my spear in deeper, thunder booming in the background.

"Very well. I accept my defeat." Alecto pushed me off and got up. I collected my knife from her arm and the other that was across the classroom. Leo threw me my shield and I caught it, turning it back into a bracelet.

"Remind me to never piss you off." Leo joked. He dug around his toolbelt and took out a baggie with some ambrosia. His friends stood at least 5 feet away from me and I laughed on the inside.

"Thank you." I laughed, popped a small piece of ambrosia in my mouth, and ruffled Leo's already messy hair.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's get to today's lesson. We're going to learn about Greek Mythology, seeing as that's what Voldemort's army consist of." Many kids shuttered at the name but quietly put the tables and chairs back. "I suppose we should start with the gods. The King of the Gods is Zeus in Greek or Jupiter in Roman. Either way he's an arrogant fool who-"

"Are you insulting my father in front of me?" Thunder rumbled once again outside, lightning flickering. Although if that was from Zeus or me, I wasn't sure.

"I have nothing nice to say about him. Unless you want to teach the class about your dad?" Alecto snarled. 

I stood up and sat on my desk, earning an eye roll from Annabeth. "My father, Zeus, can control anything that's in his domain, which is in the sky. He's a powerful leader and temperamental. Questions?" 

"Why do you keep calling him your dad?" A kid in the back asked.

"I'm a demigod. Half god, half human. Mostly. Most of my friends are. Gods come to earth to make babies. And don't say I'm lying, you literally saw me summon lightning and that's a Fury standing in front of the class.

"Well anyways. I have a brother, Jason. He's Roman. We didn't get to grow up together because Hera, goddess of marriage or whatever, took him from me. She dislikes it when Zeus cheats on her with mortals. She broke my legs, for example. She then basically started the giant war, but that's for another day. Hera, or Juno, doesn't have any demigod children because she's faithful to Zeus. Her sacred animal is a cow. Why? Because she's probably a cow." I snickered.

"Thalia." Annabeth warned.

"Fine, fine. If you disrespect the gods, you basically have a death wish. But anyways, Poseidon is another one of the 'Big Three' gods. He gets the oceans and water. His son Percy.. Where is Percy?" I asked the last part to Annabeth.

"I'll tell you later." She shook her head and I didn't push it.

"Anyways. Poseidon can create hurricanes, tsunamis, talk to fish. He created horses, which is kinda cool. Hades is the last god of the big three. Don't like him too much." I admitted.

"Hades is the Lord of the Underworld. He's my master. He can control the undead and the riches of the world. He has the power to place your soul in the Field of Punishment, which is your hell, the Fields of Asphodel, which is nothing, or Elysium, which is heaven. He's a kind master, smart and tactical. Keeps his oaths too." Alecto finished. I was sitting back in my chair and we were staring each other down, the tense atmosphere back.

"Another of the gods is Athena." Annabeth stood up and faced the class to try and break off a potential fight. "She's the Goddess of Wisdom and my mom. Mum can come up with plans on the spot and builds amazing architecture. She is also brilliant at weaving. Once, a mortal had said that her weaving was better than Athena. As Thalia had said, saying anything the gods don't like means you have a death wish. So the two women had a weaving contest. Everyone had obviously chosen my mother as the winner to try and appease her, but the woman was a sore loser. So Athena turned her into a spider so she can weave for the rest of eternity. Arachne," Annabeth's voice cracked, "sends spiders after the demigod children of Athena or Minerva, to get revenge. But ever since Percy and I killed her, the spiders have stopped coming after me." Annabeth sat down and stared at her hands. People started to talk in the background.

"Are you okay?" 

"Fine," she responded. I let it go for now.

"Another god is Heapshetus!" Leo shouted once everyone was quite. Alecto rolled her eyes.

"5 drachmas he burst into flames." I asked Annabeth.

"5 drachmas he burns off his robes."

"Deal." We both shook hands and waited for the events to unravel in front of us.

"So you see, Heapshetus is my dad. Aphrodite is his wife, but she doesn't really like him cuz she says my dad's ugly. So instead she cheats on him with Ares. My Dad is cool though. He knows how to build things really well and is fireproof because, you know, he works with fire. When he was born, Hera threw him off of Mount Olympus. Talk about harsh! He's done a lot of things to embarrass Aphrodite and Ares though. Like he caught them in bed and video taped it! It was live on Olympus TV. His Roman form is Vulcan, if you were wondering. Did you know I could catch fire and I'm fire proof? Watch!" Leo then burst into flames, probably scaring the kids next to him. Annabeth handed me 5 drachmas.

"Thank you, Annie." I smirked. She playfully hit my shoulder. "Ow, my pride." I joked.

"That's enough Leo, sit down." Alecto mused. I could tell she enjoyed the expressions of the kids around him. When Leo sat down, his Hogwarts robe was gone.

"Dammit Valdez." I cursed as I handed a smug Annabeth her money back.

"Let's see we got Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Athena, and Heapshetus done. That's almost half of the Olympians. There's 12 in total."

"Out of the 12, there's a set of twins. Artemis and Apollo," I spoke up. "Apollo is the god of music and poetry, but if he offers to recite a haiku, say no. And he's also the sun god, he's got a sun chariot and everything. I drove it once. Crashed it into a lake though." I laughed slightly, remembering all too well the irresponsible god.

"Didn't you say he was hot? And not because he was the sun god?" Annabeth teased. I blushed slighty and rolled my eyes.

"I was like, 15. But anyways. He is pretty laid back for a god and he's kind of irresponsible. Once Hermes took his cattle and he was chill with it because Hermes gave him a lyre. However, Artemis is almost the opposite of her twin brother. She is the goddess of the hunt and chastity. She's a virgin goddess, but she thinks of us, the Hunters of Artemis, as her own children. I'm her second lieutenant and she offers immortality to those who join her. You'll never age. The immortality dissolves if you fall in love with a man or die in battle. It's kind of cool though. We can't date any boys, or really be friends with them, but it's cool. We travel the world and stuff. Artemis is usually with us and she's level headed and careful. While her brother gets the sun, Artemis gets the moon." I concluded, sitting down with a smile.

"Now we've got 8 finished." She looked at Annabeth as if she wanted her to teach the rest of the class. She shrugged her shoulders and complied.

"Hmm let's see. Aphrodite is the goddess of love. She can be confusing and irritating, but that's expected of love. She's one of the oldest goddess and a powerful one too. I've only met her a couple of times and she made Percy's and I relationship complicated. Hera did too, by taking away Percy's memories, but that's a different story. Anyways, Aphrodite can be fierce when in battle, change your looks, or make you forever alone. My friend, Piper, is a daughter of Aphrodite. She can charmspeak, which means she can make people do stuff with just her voice. She rarely does it, so don't worry.

"Then there's the goddess of love's boyfriend Ares, as Leo mentioned. The god of war has never really been my favorite, since I have been in two wars. Again, different story. He fought Percy when he was 12, and Percy won. He can bless his kids for a little while while their in combat, which makes them invincible kind of. I saw it during the Titan War and on an acquaintance, Clarisse. She defeated a drakon, maybe another class, and a bunch of other monsters without a scratch. My friend, Frank, is a son on Mars, Ares' Roman form. He can shapeshift into animals and he was a big help in the Giant War.

"Who else.. Hermes is the god of travelers and mischief. He and I didn't get along for a long time. Hermes has winged shoes and his caduceus. His snakes, George and Martha, always bicker and talk about rats. Hermes is good at pranks and stealing stuff, and that of course goes for his children too. He sometimes helps souls travel to the underworld and he sends mail between gods and demigods.

"Another god is Demeter. She's the goddess of agriculture. She always insists that you should eat more cereal and that you're awfully thin. Her kids are good with plants, making flowers grow around our, ah, school. She and Hades don't really get along, and that's understandable. Hades kidnapped Demeter's daughter, Persephone. Persephone ate a pomegranate, which meant she had to stay in the underworld forever. Demeter made all the flowers die and demanded Hades to give back her daughter. They finally made an agreement. Persephone would be with her mom for most of the year and Hades would get her at the end of the year. And that's why we have winter. Demeter yearns for her daughter and she lets the plants die until she gets her back.

"Hestia is technically an Olympian. She is the goddess of the hearth and a virgin goddess. She likes to hang out by fireplaces and no one really notices her. In the titan war, she helped Percy realize what he had to do. Hestia gave up her throne to avoid a conflict. She gave her seat to Dionysus, or Bacchus. He's the god of wine. Dionysus chased an off limit nymph, so he has to supervise our, er school, as punishment. He can't drink wine, which irritates him. But he can drive people insane and turn them into dolphins. He's kinda rude and always pronounces your name wrong because he thinks it's funny, but it's really not.

"Some other gods to know are.. uh Hecate. She's important. She's the goddess of magic and she basically gave you your magic. She's technically a Titan, but that's irrelevant. She helped us in the last war. She also sent us here to help you all against Voldemort." I notice a lot of people cringed at that.

"Nemesis is also a goddess you should be aware of. Her son had asked her for a favor and she took his eyeball. Leo, for a matter of fact has encountered her." Annabeth gestured at Leo to continue the story. Instead of being bored out of their minds, the kids actually looked at Leo with interest.

"This was during the last war. Frank, Jason, and I were stuck and about to die. Nemesis was there and offered her help, but she warned me it came at a price. I didn't care, I needed to save my friends. We finally escaped and made it back to the flying ship I built, the Argo II. She gave me the password to an archimedes sphere." He pulled one out of his toolbelt and showed everybody and started playing with it while he continued talking. "I was paranoid by what I had to do. By what she wanted in return. When Percy and Annabeth fell in Tartarus, I thought that was my fault. I constantly blamed myself. But it was when I was launched off of my ship and onto an island, did I know I finally payed off my debt, I think. I'm not too sure, it still kind of bothers me. So word of advice: never accept help from Nemesis. Stupid goddess of revenge." Leo's work exploded in his face and she sighed, wiping the soot off of his face.

"Those are the need to know gods really. There are hundreds of other ones, but I don't think you should worry yourself about them." Annabeth concluded.

"Perhaps not them. But you, maybe." The bell rang, signaling class was finally over. "Alright, get out you mortals." Alecto sneered. Everyone left the class, the wizards feeling overwhelmed with all the new information they learned.

~~

"Wow, that's cool!" I exclaimed as we walked into a room that definitely wasn't there before. It looked like a living room. Sofas were in a circle with a carpet on the floor. A fireplace kept the room warm and gave off a feeling of comfort.

"Everyone should be here soon, just get comfortable." Nico sat down and a couch and signaled for me to do the same. I sat down next to him and saw as people slowly trickled in. 

"Alright, hi guys. So this meeting is kinda just to update Thalia on what's going on." Annabeth announced. A man just stared at me and I narrowed my eyes in challenge at him. We had a staring contest until Nico elbowed me in the side.

"Hmm? Oh. I'm Thalia, daughter of Zeus and Hunter of Artemis." I looked around the room. Annabeth I knew. Hermione I met today, same with Harry and Ron. The man that I didn't know, a blonde boy, Piper, Hazel, then Nico. 

"I'm Severus, but in my class you'll refer to me as Professor Snape or sir. I'm a son of Hades." He was a teacher? Oh, this was going to be fun.

"Why weren't you the subject of the prophecy then?" I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Because they thought my half-blood status extended towards my wizard heritage. Hades hadn't even found out he was my father until my fifth year. Why weren't you the subject of the prophecy?" He mocked, raising his eyebrow. So this was how he was going to be.

"A day before my birthday I joined the Hunters of Artemis so that Percy could be the subject. Or Nico if Percy died. I had technically killed Luke once, and it was an accident, there was no way I could have done it on purpose." I scrunched up my nose and made a face at Severus.

"So you were too weak?" A smug smile made way to his face.

"Oh, I'm sooory! I was a fucking tree for Hades sake! It's not like I could have trained or prepared myself while I was a tree!" I shouted standing up. I know I had a short temper, but I blame Zeus for that.

"You were a tree?" Ron asked dumbly.

"No, I was a fucking flower. Yes, Ronald, I was a fucking pine trees for a couple of years. I was defending Annabeth, Grover, and Luke from an army of monsters. While I was dying, my father took mercy on me and turned me into a pine tree." I sat down and puffed out my cheeks in annoyance.

"Anyways, would you like to introduce yourself Draco?" Nico said after a couple of awkward seconds.

"Yes, hi. I'm Draco Malfoy, son of Minerva, pleasure to meet you." He smiled at me, although he looked a little scared.

"Alright, now fill me in on what is going on here." 

| The Next Day |

Wizards are so weird. They don't even question a student disappearing then a new one appearing. Poor Percy, though. Nico said he had felt Percy die, but yesterday felt Percy back in the over world. He hadn't said anything to Annabeth though.

~~

"Why do we have Potions in the dungeons?" I complained as we walked to the designated area.

"Dunno. Maybe cuz it's the closest to Hades than anywhere else?" Harry suggested jokingly. I snickered and slapped him on the back playfully.

"It'd make sense."

We finally made it to the classroom and I decided to sit next to Nico. 

"Hey Death Breathe." I elbowed his side, payback from last night.

"Hey annoying cousin for whom I don't have a good nickname for yet." Nico smiled. Odd.

"Nico, when did you start smiling? And you're actually not boney anymore!"

"My boyfriend, son of Apollo, is very over protective." Severus walked in and gave us the instructions for the potion we had to make today.

"You have a boyfriend? Nico! And you didn't tell your favourite cousin? I'll cut up the ingredients and you do the stirring?" I pulled out my hunting knife and started getting the ingredients.

"Go for it. And yeah, his name is Will Solace. I did tell my favorite cousin. Jason was thrilled." Nico smirked at me and avoided my lunge with the knife.

"Maybe I should start visiting camp more, huh?" I can't believe I had missed my little cousin coming out and dating someone!

"I'd like that, actually. If the Hunters are okay with it." A comfortable silence was settled upon us while we finished the potion. When I say we, I really mean Nico.

"So how're the Romans doing?" I asked nonchalantly as we waited for the potion to sit for the required amount of time until it's deemed finished.

"Fine I guess. Jason's doing a good job with the shrines over at Camp Jupiter. And I know a certain praetor misses you." Nico had a smug smile on his face.

"Frank? He could Iris Message me anytime he wants." 

"You know I'm not talking about Frank. Or Percy."

"Reyna? We only had, like, three conversations." I had to control a blush that was starting to form on my face.

"And one of those conversations had her on top of you. Did you like being on bottom?" Nico laughed loudly and I pushed him off of the stool. He stayed on the floor, busting up. Tears started to form.

"Is everything alright there Mr. Di Angelo Ms... Thalia?" Severus must have realized I never told him my last name.

"Nico just has issues that'll be solved after class." I growled and cracked my knuckles.

"Very well." Severus just rolled his eyes and went back to grading papers.

I pulled Nico up by his collar and brought him up close to my face. All the other students averted their eyes, not wanting to witness what I'd do to poor Nico.

"Just for your information, I'm very much a top." I threw him back in his seat and Nico started his laughing fit all over again, while my face remained bright red.

| December 19th |

Classes were a blur today, Transfiguration and Charms was kind of hard. Hermione and Annabeth tried to help me, but I was too frustrated to try properly.

"You wanna go to our meeting? We were supposed to have it yesterday, but I had Quidditch practice." Harry asked me while we were eating.

"Uh, sure."

~~

"Everyone is kind of doing their own thing today, so I can help you with your spells?" Harry offered after he got everyone started with what they had to practice on.

"Definitely! I want to learn how to do this." I said excitingly. I pulled out my wand and looked at Harry expectingly.

"So first I'm going to teach you the disarming spell. It's fairly easy, you okay with that?" I nodded my head eagerly. "Alright. You're going to move your wand like this and say 'Expelliarmus'. My wand should fly out of my hand when you do it." 

We stood 15 feet away and I concentrated. I moved my wand the way he wanted me to and I sent the spell at him. His wand flew out of his hand and toward me. I caught it before it hit my face and I looked at Harry with awe.

"Dude, this is freaking awesome." I grinned and handed back his wand. The next spell I learned was 'Petrificus Totalus' which is like a full body bind. Although that one took me roughly 5 minutes. The next one was 'Stupefy' which knocks someone out briefly, that took me another 3 minutes. The next spell, I found, was going to be useful. It brought objects to you, so I could be like  'Accio shield', which will be very convenient in battle. It took me nearly 10 minutes, but I wasn't going to give up on it. The last one Harry taught me was 'Impedimenta' which slows down an opponent.

"Alright guys, good work today! I made some progress here and I hope you guys did too! Maybe after break, I'll teach you the patronus charm. Happy Holidays!" Everyone shuffled out of the room, and I felt extremely proud of myself.

| December 20th |

As we were headed towards Hagrid's hut for class, we heard screams. I looked over at my friends and we sprinted to the sound.

Turns out there were half a dozen hellhounds, why did it always have to be hellhounds?, a handful of adult Cyclops, maybe 15 telkhines, and a dozen earthborn. Hagrid had rushed whatever kids were there into his hut and had a crossbow at the ready.

"Thank you fer bein' 'ere guys! I don't think I can take 'em all on."

"Thalia you pick off and damage as many of them as you can here. Nico, take the hellhounds. Hazel, the earthborn. I'll take the Telkhines. Hermione you get the Cyclops. When Draco arrives, have him help out. And you can join in when you feel it necessary, Thalia. Ready? Charge!" Annabeth pulled out her dagger and went straight for the telkhines. The others went for their targets as well.

I morphed my backpack back into my bow and arrows. I got a Cyclops in the eye, then a hellhound in the paw. I got a collateral with two Telkhines, nearly hitting Annabeth, and got another Cyclops in the ear.

"Thalia! Need help?" Draco ran next to me, his sword pulled out.

"Go help Hazel. Those earthborn are a pain." Draco nodded and sprinted to help out my other cousin. Once my quiver was empty, I got my spear and raised it to the sky. Nico was panting and I saw bones and floor, meaning he had summoned skeletons. I pulled my 'daughter of Zues thing' as Percy calls it and summoned lightning. It came down to the tip of my spear then to the remaining hellhounds. They let out a whimper before exploding in golden dust.

"Thank you!" Nico called before running to Hermione's aid with the Cyclops. I activated my shield and ran next to Annabeth. There was only a few Telkhines left, though.

"Just like old times, huh?" Annabeth and I were back to back, killing everything that came within reach.

"Yeah. At least this time we have backup and it's not all of Hades chasing us." Annabeth laughed as she stabbed the last monster. We then walked over and finished up the earthborn and the Cyclops'.

"Good job! Group hug?" Hazel suggested. I couldn't disagree, so like idiots, we hugged each other in the middle of a pile of golden dust that the wind was starting to take away.

"You guys are absolutely mad." Draco laughed front besides me.

"Who doesn't love group hugs? Besides, you love us." Annabeth smiled at her half brother.

"Perhaps." He laughed harder when Annabeth took him in a headlock gave him a noogie.

"Look at us. One big, fucked up family." I smiled widely and ruffled Nico's and Hazel's hair. Nico simply stuck his tongue out at me and Hazel blushed and smiled back.

"Draco?" Someone from the Slytherin class said. We immediately stopped goofing around and turned in their direction. The Gryffindors looked impressed and happy while the Slytherins were confused and slightly impressed. Draco pushed Annabeth off of him, fixing his hair and tie.

"Yes?" He looked confident and bored, although I could tell he was scared.

"What were you doing?" Crabbe asked.

"Fighting monsters obviously. Couldn't let the Slytherins be outdone by measly Gryffindors." Draco straightened his back more and raised his head.

"Why did you hug them? Why did you say you loved them? And why did she say you were a family?" A girl who's name I couldn't care to remember asked.

"He's my cousin." Annabeth took charge right away. She was the one good at the talking.

"Oh really? And why have I never heard of you then?" The girl sneered.

"Because we only found out recently." Annabeth crossed her arms, which meant she wasn't going to back down.

"I don't believe you." 

"You can think whatever you want. Draco and I are are related. You can ask Mr. Malfoy if you wish." Annabeth said with indifference, fixing her posture and pointing her nose in the air like Draco had.

"Whatever." The girl flipped her hair and walked away.

"Well besides that, I thought you guys were bloody brilliant! Saved our lives, you did!" Ronald congratulated. 

"No problem." Hazel smiled sweetly. The rest of class we talked about spiders and their body structure while Annabeth covered her ears the whole class and refused to listen to anything Hagrid said.

~~

"Alright class. Today we'll be learning about the Second Titan War. And the best way to learn that is through people who were actually there! So Annabeth and Thalia, the class is yours." Alecto is literally the worst teacher ever.

"Right, well Annabeth knows more about that then I do, so she'll start it off and I'll fill in blanks." I shrugged, because that was the truth.

"Right. Well it started a long time ago. The Oracle at the time was murdered because of the prophecy. It was after World War Two and Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore on the River Styx to never have kids because they are so powerful. Hades never broke the oath, he hid Nico and his sister Bianca in a hotel where time doesn't pass at all. Zeus broke the oath twice and Poseidon broke the oath once. The prophecy went like this:

A half-blood of the eldest gods

Shall reach sixteen against all odds

And see the world in endless sleep

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap

A single choice shall end his days

Olympus to preserve or raze

And raze as in destroyed. So at first everyone thought it was Thalia, but then.." Annabeth looked at me.

"But while we were making it to our school, a horde of monsters chased us. Hades was angry with my father for, you know, having me, so he sent all of his monsters after me. Our teacher included." Alecto smirked and bowed dramatically. "As I was dying, my father took pity on me and turned me into a tree."

"Grover, Luke, and I were able to make it to our school and our uh director was upset. So years later, Percy arrives to our school and we find out he's a son of Poseidon. So we think he's the one the prophecy is about. But then a year later, Thalia comes back to life. Then a year after that, it's Thalia's 16th birthday, so we all assume it's going to be about her." Annabeth looks at me again.

"Luke was a guy I really respected. Artemis had offered me to become a hunter when we were on the run, but I refused cuz I liked Luke. I believe he could never do wrong. But here we are, fighting, surrounded by his army of monsters. I accidently kick him off of a cliff. He would have died if he didn't have the Curse of Achilles and Kronos in his body." I looked at my hands and ignored everyone's looks.

"Kronos was like the Titan King. He wanted to destroy the gods. He was able to convince Luke to let him take over his body. Percy and I were in the labyrinth trying to find Kronos and stop him from raising. We found Nico and discovered he was a son of Hades. Kronos was trying to recruit Nico. We had our mortal friend, Rachel, with us because she could find her way through the labyrinth. We found Luke, but it was too late. He was going to kill us, but Rachel took out her blue plastic hair brush and threw it at the eye of the Titan Lord. Bravest mortal I know. So Luke tries to destroy our school using the labyrinth, but my brother, Daedalus, killed himself to destroy the labyrinth. It worked.

"So the next year, Percy was going to turn 16 and it seemed the prophecy was about him. Kronos was making his move towards Olympus. We were in the city when it happened. The whole island of Manhattan was put to sleep, except for the demigods and the monsters. That was a certain sign that the war was about to start. Nico took Percy to the underworld to get the Curse of Achilles. It makes him immortal kind of. There's one point on the body that is a weakness. You heard of Achilles Heel? Well, yeah. Percy and Luke each had an Achilles Heel so to speak.

"We faught monsters day and night, almost no resting happened. There were only about 100 students, and we were still missing about 20. They refused to come and help because their pride was hurt. While we risked our lives, the Ares kids stayed at school relaxing. Anyway, we were on a bridge fighting. Percy had just killed the Minotaur for the second time when demigods from Luke's side started to attack. We refused to kill them, instead we knocked them out. We faught within five feet of each other when I felt something wrong. The world paused for a second and I saw Percy about to get stabbed in a certain area. I jumped in front of the knife and was poisoned by the dagger. At that moment, I knew I loved Percy. I knew I would die for him. Which I almost did. One of the Apollo kids took me to our makeshift headquarters and tried to heal me. Kronos and Percy faught. Then the bridge blew up which killed many demigods on both sides. We regrouped.

"Percy came to me and he showed me where his Achilles Heel was. He admitted that if I didn't step in front of that knife, he would have died. A couple of hours later, we were being overrun by monsters. We ran out of explosions and we were cornered. A drakon came and only a child of Ares could defeat it. We didn't have our Ares kid. We knew we had a spy, but we didn't worry about it. But at that moment, we knew we were screwed. Out of nowhere, we saw a chariot with a girl in armor. We had assumed it was Clarisse, daughter of Ares, that came to our rescue because they had on her clothes and armor. But it turned out it was Silena Beauregard, a daughter of Aphrodite. She was dying when the real Clarisse came. We took off Silena's helmet and she told us she was the spy. Clarisse went into a furry, killing the drakon and all the remaining monsters with our help. Although Silena was a spy, she died a hero and no one will say other wise." Annabeth wiped at her eyes quickly and continued her story.

"Fast forward fighting more Titans and more injuries, it was time for Kronos to finally make his way to Olympus. We did our best to protect the entrance to the building, but we were simply over powered. We were losing hope. Kronos made his way into the building when all of a sudden the ground bursts open. There comes Nico and Hades with an army of skeletons to help out in the fight. The mortals were starting to wake up and the demigods were doing their best to move them out of harms way. Before Percy and I went to Olympus, we saw Percy's mom and her boyfriend. Sally had a shotgun I think and Paul picked up a sword from a fallen demigod. Sally could see through the Mist and fight the monsters while Paul had no idea what he was doing and tried to help his girlfriend.

"We finally went up the lift to Olympus and found it in ruins. Kronos was blasting everything he could. We made it to the throne room and a statue of Hera fell on Thalia's legs and broke them." 

"Which I found ironic since I went there to help them defeat Kronos! The gods were busy fighting Typhon, who was a bigger threat than Kronos. It took all the Olympians." 

"Poseidon was fighting his own fight, so he couldn't help just yet. But Percy sat on his throne, which is the stupidest idea ever, and told his dad what was happening. Then we faught Kronos. It was a blur really. But finally, we managed to knock Kronos over. Luke was able to take control of his body for a while and begged Percy to give him my dagger. 'Cursed Blade shall reap'. My blade was the cursed blade. Luke made a promise to never leave me, and he did. So that made my blade cursed since he gave it to me. 'A single choice shall end his days'. It was Percy's choice to give the blade to Luke or not. He did. Luke sacrificed himself to destroy Kronos. Luke died a hero.

"It was early in the morning, August 18th, Percy's birthday. The prophecy came true, it was fulfilled. We saved Olympus. The Fates carried away Luke's body and the gods had a meeting. They offered to turn Percy into a god, but he refused. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Later that day, we were back at school. The Apollo kids were treating the wounded and we had ceremonies for all the demigods who had died during the war. Percy's Cyclops brother and I made a cupcake for Percy. He was sitting alone at his table and I sat next to him as we ate the horribly made cupcake. He finally confessed his feelings for me and the other students were listening the whole time. They threw us in the lake, but Percy can breathe underwater; he made a pocket of air for the both of us and it was the best underwater kiss ever." Annabeth blushed and had a small smile on his face.

"He'll come back. He always does." I reassured her.

"Wait. Percy was offered to become a god? That would have been useful for us during the Giant War." Leo joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's for next class. And yeah, I know. He told me that it would have been really useful if he accepted it, but he would rather die than not be with me." Annabeth's voice caught on the word 'die'.

"Didn't you guys fight Hyperion?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. We were in Central Park. Percy made a hurricane for the first time. We finally pinned him down and Grover, along with other spirits and satyrs, turned Hyperion into a maple tree." Annabeth chuckled.

"What's with the Greeks and trees?" One of the Ravenclaws joked.

"Don't tell him I told you this, but Nico was turned into a corn plant." Leo laughed and so did I. Blackmail.

The bell rang a minute after and we all headed for dinner.

| December 21 |

"Today's potion is actually going to be given to someone if it's good. It's going to be a weed killer of sorts." Severus put the instructions on the board and I went to get the ingredients. I started chopping and crushing things as Nico cleaned the cauldron.

"So did you ever write or talk to Reyna?" Nico asked as he started pouring things.

"Why would I?" I could already feel my ears heating.

"I told you she misses you! You should totally write her. I'll let you borrow my raven."

"Why do you have a raven?"

"Gift from my father. He thought owls were too 'Athenay'. Like that's even a word." Nico rolled his eyes, but smiled anyways.

"What am I even going to say? 'Hi, it's Thalia. I'm using my cousin's raven because he wants me to talk to you'?" I scoffed and finally took my finger out of my mouth.

"I was thinking more like 'Remember that time you beat my ass and had your body on top of me? I was hoping we'd do that again, but in your bed.' Does that sound good?" Nico laughed until he was red in the face. I punched him in the shoulder, making him fall off once again. My face was burning as I stood over his body.

"Thalia, please refrain from killing your cousin in class. I do believe I said this potion was a weed killer of sorts. It works on trees too, I wouldn't want you to get hurt." Severus' usually emotionless face had a smirk graced on his features. Nico just laughed harder. He started rolling on the floor, clutching his gut, and hitting the ground.

"Did you just-! But-! Oh, watch your back Severus! I'm going to get you!" I growled, a real wolf growl this time. Severus' smirk faltered, but went back into place.

"It'd be amusing to see you try." Severus sat behind his desk, a smug smile on his face. The students watched our exchange with wide eyes, unsure of how to respond.

"Why you little!" I rushed towards him, but Annabeth grabbed me and tried to push me away. "You underworld scum! Death Breathe! You better pray to Hades I don't electrocute you and feed you to my wolves!" I was starting to gain ground and walk towards Severus, but Hermione quickly got something and shoved the liquid down my throat. I swallowed.

"A calming potion. How clever of you Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor," Severus said.

I walked back to my seat and sat down, still angry and frustrated, but calm nevertheless. Nico had gone back to finishing the potion while Severus graded his papers. The rest of the students made a mental note to never piss me off.

"I'm so going to fucking kill you." I muttered in Greek.

"How? There's no way you can summon lightning from all the way down here?" Severus looked genuinely confused.

"You're right. But I can use the air in this room to suffocate you." Annabeth turned and stared at me with wide eyes. Hazel looked mildly confused because she was better with Latin than Greek.

"Bull." Severus mouthed, but looked slighty concerned. I concentrated on the air around me, the way the atoms move all over the place. I had the atoms come together and form a hand of sorts. I brought it closer to Severus until he felt the pressure on him. He looked up, fear written all over his face. I pushed a little harder then let the atoms disperse once more.

"Okay, you win. That was cool." He said after a moment of catching his breathe.

"Right?" I smirked.

"So.... are you going to write her?" Nico asked once our potion was done.

"Why are you so persistent with this?" I sighed, finally giving in.

"Wouldn't it be cool if you had a strong, Roman girlfriend?" 

"Nico, I'm a hunter of Artemis. We literally lose our immortality if we fall in love." I rolled my eyes at Nico's attempt at a hook up. 

"It doesn't say anything about women, does it?"

"I suppose not. But-"

"See! Just ask Artemis! There might be a loophole or something. Just talk to Reyna, kay? You don't have to date, I just want the two closest girl friends I have to like each other." Nico pleaded, pulling an adorable puppy face.

"Fine." I gave in.

"Yes!" Nico enthusiastically threw his arms around me and had a smile that brightened the room. Nico definitely changed, but for the better.

| December 22nd |

Today was my birthday. I usually don't celebrate it because, well, I'm confused about my age. Coming out of the tree, I was 15. Technically, I'm not 16 because then the prophecy would have been about me. If you counted the years I was in the tree, then I'd be 21 and then some years as my life as a hunter. So yeah. I didn't celebrate my birthday. But apparently, other people did.

I came down to breakfast and was ambushed in a hug by Annabeth. "Happy Birthday Thals!" I pushed her off of me with a bright smile on my face. 

"Thank you, but you know how I feel about birthdays." I sat in-between Annie and Ron.

While we were eating, an Iris Message appeared in front of me. It took a second to focus, but I finally saw my brother.

"Jason!" I smiled at my little brother.

"Hey Thalia! Is that Annabeth next to you? And Ron? You're at Hogwarts?" Jason looked confused but shook his head. "You'll have to tell me later. But, Happy Birthday sister!" Confetti blew up in the background and he turned to where Reyna and Frank were holding a sign that said 'You were born on this day!' in Latin.

"Thank you Jason, that's very much appreciated. Hey Frank, hey Reyna." I smiled sheepishly, remembering yesterday's conversation with Nico.

"Hey! I don't really know you too well, but you are Jason's sister, so you're our family too." Frank looked nervous and waved goodbye before going back to his duties.

"Even though you're technically not aging, you'll always be my big sister." Jason winked, then walked away, leaving me to talk to Reyna.

"Hi." I said awkwardly. Annabeth sent me a look then went back to talking to Ginny, Ron's younger sister. Ron was busy stuffing his face with food.

"We only talked a couple of times and I don't really see the point of this, but you know Jason. He made me do it." Reyna smiled and shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal. I mentally thanked Jason.

"C'mon, don't be that way, Roman. You know you wanted to talk to me." I tried to play it cool.

"Maybe. That's why I had Jason leave." Oh shit, she was serious. 

"Is it cause of my looks? It's got to be because of my looks." I laughed to hide my nervousness.

"It's because of your humor, Hunter. Although, you are pretty good looking." Reyna smirked and a wolfish smile played on her lips. Annabeth chocked on her water, but I ignored it.

"I knew it. Although it crushes my ego to say this, you're pretty hot, praetor. And not because it's hot outside." I returned a smirk of my own and at this point, I knew Annabeth was listening because she started to laugh next to me.

"Is that Annabeth?" Reyna all but face palmed at our ruined moment.

"Hey Reyna, nice to see you again. Didn't mean to interrupt your bad flirting." Annabeth started to giggle again and I tried to hide my blush behind my hands.

"My flirting is is not bad." Reyna pouted.

"Whatever, whatever." Annabeth just laughed and returned to her conversation with Ginny.

"I regret to say this, but I have to get going. Duties and such." Reyna sighed.

I bit my lip and stared at her for a couple of seconds. "I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"Deal. Happy Birthday, Hunter."

"See you later, Roman." We smiled at each other before the Iris Message disappeared. "Chase, you have 5 seconds to run."

"What?" Annabeth looked at me with slight terror.

"5." I warned. Annabeth widened her eyes and looked to Ginny for help. "4." Annabeth smiled at me, winked, and sprinted out of the Great Hall. "3, 2, 1!" I got up and chased after her. The hunter always catches it's prey, and today was no exception.

| December 23rd |

Today was finally Saturday and we all ditched school to start our break early. We headed over to the Harry's godfather's house. Dumbledore was aware of this, he let us use his floo. 

We arrived and something felt off to me. No, more like someone felt off to me. I ignored the feeling and we went to the kitchen. I met the rest of Ron's family, Sirius, and other people who I don't bother to remember. I finally went over to a man who I just got a weird feeling from.

"I'm Remus Lupin." The man extended his hand.

"I'm Thalia." Our hands connected and I felt an electric shock go between us.

"You're a werewolf!" I shouted, pulling out my hunting knife.

"You're a hunter!" He pulled out his wand and we stared each other down. I had him pinned in the corner. After all, I do always catch my prey.

"Thalia, darling, it's okay! Oh, I should have mentioned that earlier, so sorry." Molly pulled me away from Remus. "He isn't like the werewolves you hunt, dear. He's safe, I promise you."

I walked around Remus and I knew she was right. The only thing I felt from him was that he was a werewolf. Nothing bad.

"Sorry about that then." I offered him an apologetic smile, which he returned. 

| December 24th (Christmas Eve) |

"You ready?" Nico was going to shadow travel himself, Annabeth, and me to Sally's apartment.

Hazel, Piper, and Leo were lucky. They got to take a flying dragon. Scratch that, flying is the worst thing ever. But if I had to pick between a dragon or shadow traveling, I'd pick a dragon.

"If I knock out, that's pretty normal for this distance. Give me some nectar and Gatorade and I'll be fine." Nico reassured.

"Alright. Let's go then." We ran into a wall, holding hands and went through the darkness. I hated the chilly feeling I always had once we came out. I wouldn't stop shivering until a couple of hours past and I always had a strange craving for chicken nuggets.

"Hey Sally, Paul, we're home!" Annabeth called. I smiled at that. 'We're home'.

"Annabeth! How'd you get in?" Sally asked as she came from the kitchen.

"We shadow travelled." Nico grin and sat down. He seemed proud of himself for not passing out.

"All the way from Europe? Nico! I should tell Will." Sally shook her head and walked towards the fridge. Nico blushed and Sally gave him a blue Gatorade.

"Thank you." Nico smiled as he chugged down the liquid.

"You must be Thalia! I don't think I've ever had the official pleasure of meeting you. Annabeth talks about you fondly and Percy.. well you know Percy." Sally Jackson smiled at me as she brought me into a hug. I hugged back and got a warm, fuzzy feeling of comfort.

"Thank you Ms. Jackson. Percy speaks highly of you, as well as these two." I gestured to Nico and Annabeth.

"Call me Sally, please. I think of Nico as my own child and Annabeth as my daughter-in-law, so I treat them like my own." Sally winked and Annabeth blushed.

"Where's my father-in-law?" Annabeth joked, sitting down between Nico and Sally. I stood awkwardly in the living room, taking a look around.

"He forgot to buy the turkey, so he went to go get one. It's probably traffic that's keeping him." While they were talking, I looked at the photos that were decorated around the room. There was one with Sally sitting soaked next to a tub and a dry baby Percy eating his foot next to her. Then there was a 5 year old Percy cuddled up with his mom on a beach. The pictures were heart warming and heart breaking for me. I kept walking until I stopped in front of the TV. On the wall hung what was obviously a family photo. Percy was in the middle, Sally to his left, Paul to his right. He had his arm wrapped Sally's waist and the other on Paul's shoulder. Annabeth was standing next to Sally, smiling brightly at the camera. Nico was next to Paul and he was also smiling. 

"We took that photo before they left." Sally said fondly next to me.

"You guys really do look like a happy family." I sighed longingly. I'm glad Nico finally settled and made a family. After all, I had my hunters who were like sisters to me.

"You've always been apart of our family, and you'll always be apart of it. Don't you forgot that." Sally gave me one last hug before heading into the kitchen.

I sat down next to Annabeth and another picture caught my eye. It was Will trying to teach Nico how to skateboard. Nico was decked out in a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and bubble wrap.

"Earth to Thalia, you okay?" Annabeth had a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, I think I am," I said.

| At around 8pm |

We had just finished dinner and started chatting at the table. Sally was an amazing cook and Paul wasn't bad either.

"Do you guys see that?" I looked out of the kitchen window and saw what looked like a pegasus with two kids on it. Were they being chased? They got closer and I saw that it was two kids on a pegasus. With Gryffins behind them.

Before anyone could say anything, a Gryffin crashed into the kitchen window. The two boys fell onto the table, the smaller one under the bigger one.

"Percy!" Sally shouted. And she was right, it was Percy.

"Percy! Oh Gods!" I could see Annabeth was overjoyed.

"Thalia do the thing!" Nico said. I looked outside and saw Blackjack trying to fight off the two Gryffins. I raised my arm and concentrated. Lightning came off of me and flew at the two, now crumbling, monsters.

"Oh gods, what happened?" Paul was very carefully trying to take the glass out of Percy's body.

"Water Boy, get off me." A voice said under Percy. I forgot that there was another kid there for a second.

Percy rolled off the poor kid and Annabeth caught him. She brought him over to the couch. I grabbed the kid and, with the help of Nico, sat him next to Percy. Sally tossed us a baggie of ambrosia and we feed it to the two people on the couch.

"So, who wants to explain first?" Sally asked from the kitchen.

\-----

A/N: Finally updated and wow, that was a long chapter. I had written Percy's Pov first, but I felt like Thalia's would make the most sense. So next chapter will be all of Percy's Pov.

QotP:  
Do you call it Argo 2 or Argo the Second?  
Answer:  
I've always called it Argo the Second..


	16. Everyone Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy's long week and mini quest for Nemesis.

It was dark. All I remembered was lying in bed then being attacked by the three Furries. Now I was here... but where is here?

"Lord he's waking," said a raspy voice.

I slowly sat up, back aching as I did so. My eyes started to adjust slightly and I saw I was in a room. In the corner, by an open door, sat a skeleton dressed in armor.

"Where in Hades am I?" I groaned. My body felt heavy, as if the Curse of Achilles was weighing me down.

"I know you're stupid, but really Perseus? You're in Hades." A voiced scoffed. I squinted my eyes and saw my uncle swagger into the room.

"This doesn't look like Elysium." I joked, resting my back against the wall.

"And what makes you think you'll make it to Elysium?" Hades cocked his stupid eyebrow up.

"If Annabeth and I don't get Elysium, I'll force my way to your palace and make you feel like you are in the field of punishment." I promised, a small smile making its way to my face.

"It's a joke, Percy. Persephone has told me I should be more.. playful. Apparently jokes should just be left to the other gods, seeing as I'm not funny." Hades actually looked really concerned that I didn't realize it was a joke.

"If I tell you a joke, would you tell me what I'm doing here?" Comforting the Lord of the Underworld was not on my to do list, but hey, my life is literally in his hands.

"I was just going to tell you, but yes! Tell me a joke and I'll tell you 'what is up' as the kids say these days." Hades smiled at me in eagerness.

"Um, okay. Why don't cannibals eat clowns?" If these jokes are terrible, blame Leo. When ever he was nervous or upset, he'd crack a joke. So that was mostly every minute of every day.

"Because clowns are horrid creatures?" The faces of the damned in my uncles robes screamed silently.

"No, because they taste funny! Ba dum ts!" I grinned to try and play it off as funny.

"That was horrid. I should just kill you here right now."

"That was real funny, Uncle H!" I raised my hand for a high five.

"I was serious." He deadpanned.

"Right.. so anyways.. do you mind telling me what's going on?" I awkwardly lowered my hand and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Right, so you know Nemesis, right? Well she took Tom Riddle's side and she made him believe that she was Hecate. Hecate is obviously enraged, but can't act any longer. However, Nemesis made a deal with me. If I, or anyone I choose, do three tasks for her, she'll get rid of the two remaining Horcruxes. Now that's not a fair deal, but I didn't see it as a problem because you'd be the one doing all the work." Hades summed up. He whispered something to the skeleton and he went jogging out of the room.

"So I basically have to go on a quest of sorts for Nemesis to destroy the Horcruxes." I said.

"Yes. I've brought you some food. After you eat and rest, I'll debrief you on the three things." The skeleton walked back in with a plate full of ribs and my stomach growled. He set it down in my lap then walked out of the room, Hades in tow.

I took my time eating. How long was I gone? A couple of minutes? Hours? Or dare I say it- days? I shook my head and ate my plate. Once I was finished, I placed it on the ground and set my head on the pillow. It was surprisingly soft and that's when I first noticed that the mattress was fluffy like a cloud. Just 5 minutes... I thought as I fell asleep.

~~

"Wake up, you stupid Sea Spawn!" Hades growled, shaking me violently in my bed.

"I'm up, I'm up." I groaned as I accidently rolled out of the bed.

"I tried to wake you up like 5 minutes ago! You sleep heavier than even Hypnos I bet." He helped me up and I sat on my bed. Then I shrugged.

"It's the Curse. You know your son once told me-"

"Great responsibilities and naps, yes I know. Anyways, you have three simple things to do. First is to find a ring in the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, don't ask me. I don't know or care. Second thing is to save her chariot from an amusement park, I believe it's called. It's hidden in some sort back area as a decoration. Last thing is to find her son and guide him to Camp Half-blood. I think she said he's in Florida. Questions?" Hades yawned and the souls in his robes squirmed.

"Why did you have to kill me? If you would have just told me, I would have gone on this quest, no problem." I complained.

"I didn't kill you. Technically. While your soul was about to be torn apart- no don't give me that look. I am still clueless about your mortal point. Anyways, I called back the Furies. Nemesis also said something about you having terrible luck and this was supposed to help you. Or was it that you had to much good luck? I tried not to listen." 

"So how do I get out of here?" I prompted. The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I get to see Annabeth.

Hades looked thoughtful for a second before grinning mischievously. "How about.. right now?" He then snapped his fingers and the world around me dissolved.

~~

I had appeared 50 feet in the air before plunging straight into the ocean. Once I touched the water, I immediately knew where I was. I was in the Pacific Ocean, somewhere between Japan and the United States, right about in the middle. I nodded my head to myself and dived into the depths of the waters.

While swimming around aimlessly, I met a Scalloped Hammerhead Shark named Jonel, who led me about 270 miles under the surface before passing me off to another shark. Honestly, it looked ridiculous. It was a small brown thingy, maybe 35 cm, with its eyes almost on the front. I was about to laugh until I saw it attack a fish swimming by. The shark sunk it's teeth into the poor fish and it was so gross I had to look away. I guess they don't call it the Cookiecutter for nothing.

Getting back on track.. we finally made it to an underwater cliff where a giant crater was formed.

'Lady Aphrodite threw the object you're looking for over there. She said it wasn't fashionable.' The shark then nodded, or tried to, at me and swam away. 

I swam towards the crater and saw a pitch black ring with a gold design. I picked it up and examined it, expecting some sort of magic to happen. Instead, there was a pull and Nemesis was standing in front of me, examining the object.

"Good job, boy. My mother gave this to me, but that wretched goddess of love said it didn't match my outfit and threw it off of Olympus like a football. I only knew the general area, she put a charm so I couldn't find the ring." The goddess in front of me shimmered, as if it was only an illusion.

"Who's your mother?" A million questions were racing through my head. I had to stall while I tried to organize my thoughts..

"You've met her before. Wouldn't give her an award for best mother, but I doubt people would give me one either. I'm all about balance, however, unlike my mother who feeds off of the darkness." Nemesis put on the ring and I felt the temperature drop around us.

"You mean Nyx is your mother? That'd make sense." When I had said her name, the ocean became darker and heavier.

"Yes. Well you should be on your way, hero. Your luck is weighing out." Before I could even open my mouth, Nemesis had disappeared before my eyes.

~~

I had a very excited Tiger Shark guide me towards a cruise ship. I didn't do much of anything today, but I was exhausted. Once I had propelled myself onto a lower deck, I waved goodbye to my new friend. She just swam excitingly in circles, chanting about the Sea Prince or whatever before disappearing underwater.

It was fairly late, maybe midnight? I took out my wand, I had Hecate charm it so it'd reappear in my pocket like Riptide, and walked around the ship. I found where people must have ate and unlocked the door with a quick 'alohomora'. I snatched a few stray fruits and started to eat. When I was done, I wondered around until I found the rooms. It took a long time using the Homenum Revelio spell, seeing as I had to go door to door to see if there was a person sleeping their. After about 10 minutes, I found and empty room, unlocked it, and passed out on the bed.

I woke up and explored some more, seeing as it was daylight. Most people were on the upper deck, so I decided to try and find out what the date was and where the boat was heading.

"Excuse me, ma'am." A lady with blonde hair and tan skin, who was reading a magazine, looked at me with annoyance clear on her face. "Do you know the date? And when we'll arrive at... our destination?" I smiled sheepishly.

"Rough night? It's the 19th and we'll make it back to California in a couple of hours, most likely." The lady gave me one last odd look and went back to reading her magazine. Jeeze, it was the 19th already?

I walked over to the railing because there was a bunch of commotion going on. Once I got there, I peered into the water and realized what everyone was looking at. There was almost a full swarm of Great White Sharks swimming around the boat, followed by Tiger Sharks, Dolphins, and schools of fishes. I usually tune out the marine animals voices, so I had an excuse not to notice them.

"Look at how majestic they are." A man on my left murmured as he took a video.

"Fishies!" A boy to my left yelled in exciment. He was about 4 or 5 and was sitting on the railing, pointing at the sharks, and pulling his mom's sleeves. Wasn't that dangerous?

"You see the sharkies? Their saying hi to you!" The mom laughed at her excited son and I couldn't help but wonder if Annabeth's and I's baby would be so full of life. Probably.

"Excuse me, watch out!" Two kids were running around with water guns, trying to shoot each other. I smiled again and watched the two accidently hit other passengers. Suddenly, the taller boy stumbled on somebody's bag and toppled into the mom next to me. They both fell to the ground and the baby was falling straight into the infested water.

Naturally, I dived over board. Sharks were usually cool creatures, but I thought it would have been a lot safer if I was with the baby. Halfway to the water, I grabbed onto the screaming boy and we landed in the water. Immediately, I put an air bubble around his head.

'It's the Sea Prince!' A dolphin chirped next to me.

'The hero of Olympus!' 'Poseidon's son!' 'Can I get your autograph?'

All these things were coming at me from all sorts of animals. I resurfaced and I heard a bunch of screams and sirens coming from the boat.

"Hey kid, what's your name?" I asked the boy as I put him on my shoulders to avoid the animals who tried to touch me.

"James! And I four year olds!" He gave me a toothy grin and held up four fingers.

"You like the fishies James? You want to touch them?" I asked. I looked up at the boat to see them getting a life preserver.

"Yes! Yes! Pwease!" James pouted and I couldn't help but laugh at his adorableness.

I pointed at a Great White that was swimming in a circle around me to keep the others in line. "Can you come here please?" I asked aloud.

'Of course, my Lord.' The shark then started to swim in a slower, smaller circle around me. More screams up above.

"Go ahead and touch him James, but you have to be really soft okay?" I felt him nod against my head and I submerged myself lower in the water. I saw him reach out his hand and tentively touch the shark.

"Thank you stranger!" James bounced happily on my shoulders while the other sea critters came forward to be touched by us as well.

The life preserver finally reached me and I took hold of it, holding James in one arm. A couple of sharks lingered before returning to their families. Dolphins bid their goodbyes, did a couple of leaps to calm the passengers, and disappeared as well. All that remained were fishes, But they were getting smaller and smaller as we ascended.

"Oh my god are you guys okay? They didn't bite you or anything? Do you need a hospital?" The captain, I'm assuming, of the boat gingerly grabbed James and helped me out of the tube. I allowed ourselves to be wet so we didn't raise any suspicion.

"We're fine. The sharks were kind enough." I tried to assure the hysteric man. Everyone was standing in a circle around us and the sobbing mother took her son in her arms.

"Thank you, thank you!" She repeated over and over again. "How do I repay you?" I blushed slightly at the attention.

"It was no problem really." I rubbed the back of my neck as the other passengers that had witness everything started to talk.

"No problem? Young man, you just risked your life for a stranger's kid! That was the most bravest, yet stupidest, thing I've seen in all my career. Are you sure you're okay? The sharks were pretty close, circling you." The captain took in my appearance, probably trying to find an injury.

"He let me touch the big fishies! They were really nice mama!" James bursted with glee.

"Yeah, okay baby." Thankfully the mom was too distracted to care about what her son was saying.

"I'm fine, I assure you. I just did what anyone would have done. Well, probably not. This can be prevented. Don't set your children on railings and don't run around with water guns." I shot an accusing look towards the two teenagers who were standing next to each other, shame and worry evident on their face.

"We should be at our destination soon, so make yourself comfortable. You can have anything from the gift shop, if you want it. You deserve it!" The captain winked at me before walking away. A bunch of passengers came up to me and shook my hand, congratulating me as if I had won the Super Bowl single handedly.

"I don't think I can thank you enough." The mom said after the crowd of people left me. "What's your name? I'll never forget your kindness and bravery." 

I hesitated. Names had power, but I was in my father's domain. Nothing too life threatening would happen. "Percy. Percy Jackson." I smiled and extended my hand. She shook my hand with a shaky smile before leading herself and her son in the direction of the rooms.

"Do you mind if I upload this on YouTube?" Asked a middle aged man after I sat down.

"YouTube.. you mean like the site thing where people posts videos?" I questioned. I didn't know much about the internet things, which made it awkward hanging out with mortals. At least wizards who didn't grow up with muggles know what that's like. Although their fun is pretty weird itself..

"Yeah! Of course! I got the whole thing and I think I'll get more subscribers from this! I mean, this'll get a bunch of views for sure. Maybe even get you on with Ellen!" The man seemed pretty excited. Although I didn't know much about what he was saying.

"Go ahead, I guess." I shrugged in indifference. It wouldn't harm me much, right?

"Great, thank you! If someone does want to interview you, how should I contact you?" The man was typing away on his phone.

"Er, I'm not really on the internet, so you'd have to contact my mom. Here.." People usually get money from being on talk shows, right? Maybe it'll be enough to help Mom save up for a house with Paul and the soon to be baby. Or maybe a wedding ring?

~~

So the second task I had to do was sneak into an amusement park and steal Nemesis's chariot back. But the thing is, it's part of the park and how in Hades was I going to get in? I only had jeans, my shirt, my wand, and my sword. I did manage to get a backpack and fill it with food and a whale pillow pet.

I walked around for the rest of the day, trying to figure out my next move. There could be countless amusement parks! I've never been to one and how was I even supposed to find one?

It was getting rather late and the part of town I was in seemed sketchy. I decided to find the closest hotel. After walking about half an hour, I went into an extravagant hotel to ask for directions for a cheaper motel. However, when I walked up to the front desk, the man greeted me with an expression of awe.

"You sir are Logan Lermen, no? I saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and it was beautiful! Brought a tear to my eye! Hollywood brings about many celebrates, I've only seen a couple myself. I'll get you a suite, on the house." The over excited man shuffled me into an elevator and grabbed a key card before I could even protest. "How long would you be staying Mr. Lermen?"

"Just today." I had things to do and I couldn't just take advantage of the situation.

"So soon?" The man pouted as he took me to my room. 

"Yeah, I've got things to do, being a celebratory and all. Would you like my autograph?" I asked as he opened the door. I looked inside and I almost gasped out loud because of the layout of the room.

"I-If you're okay with it." The man sheepishly pulled out a picture of a guy who looked kind of like me, if you squinted. I took a pen from the table and scribbled Logan Lermen in what I hoped looked like his signature.

"Thank you, sir! You can order food and they'll bring it right up. Make yourself at home!" He bowed and left the room, a jump in his step, and a big smile plastered on his face.

| December 20th, Thursday |

I was on the road again, a destination in mind. When I was at boarding school, I heard one kid talk about going to Disneyland. He had said it was the happiest place in the world and I believed him. I had forgotten it until now, but finally I was going to see what it was all about. If only I had Annabeth with me..

I finally arrived at the front gates when I realised I didn't have a ticket, nor did I have money for one. I couldn't sneak myself in and I couldn't pass off being a celebratory. If only I could shadow travel...

Wait! I remember something Hermione told me. She said that phoenix's have the power to teleport! Thank the gods I have Neptune! Although I really should learn how to apperate, something Hermione had also mentioned.

'Hey, Neptune. My phoenix, not you dad, do you mind coming here please?' I said in my mind. After a couple of seconds, my blue bird appeared in a ripple. Thankfully, the mortals paid no attention to me. 'Do you think you can get me in there?' I asked again, pointing at the entrance. He cocked his head and nodded, stretching out his leg to me. I awkwardly grabbed it, and in a flash we were inside.

Once I appeared, Neptune left and I was left standing to the side. A worker looked at me with a strange expression, blinked, shook his head, and looked away. At least the Mist was working well. So now I had to find a chariot.. but how was I going to do that?

"Excuse me sir, would you like to take a picture?" A worker with a camera asked.

"No, but do you mind pointing me in the direction of a new attraction? I'm not exactly sure what it looks like, but my uncle told me it might look like a car or something?" I'm actually not sure what the mortals would have seen. Would they see a chariot? Or a car or a throne?

"Uh, yeah. It's on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. They decked it out in fake gold, but it shouldn't be hard to miss. It's a giant, black chariot." The worker handed me a map and walked away. I took the map and headed for a secluded area, which was hard since the place was crowded. But once I was sure no one was paying attention, I took out my wand and translated the map to Greek.

Eventually, I found the ride. And no, I didn't take any detours to go on any other rides.. nope. Not at all. I got on with a dad and his daughter on my row. About a minute in, the ride stopped, all of the lights turned off. As if Nemesis knew I was close to her possession, an announcement came on saying that we'd have to wait 10 minutes or so and to stay seated. Naturally, I got up and climbed out of the boat.

"Excuse me, you aren't supposed to get up." The father said.

"Eh, don't worry about it." I pulled out my wand and whispered a Lumos. The tip of my wand lit up and everyone was telling me to sit back down. I raised my wand higher and saw what I was looking for. I walked towards the chariot and two griffins appeared. The ropes immediately tied themselves to the monsters. I went in and took hold of the ropes.

"Hey, I really don't think you're supposed to do that!" A worried voice came from the crowd.

"Probably not." I agreed. I summoned a wave to be form, just high enough to obscure myself, and raced out of the attraction. 

What the mortals saw, I had do idea. The griffins were pleased with their new freedom and pulled me along throughout the park. People were confused, jumping out of my way and cursing. We made it to the entrance before flying up in the air. I had a death grip on the reins, trying to control our destination. 

After a while, we landed onto a roof of a building. This seemed to be in a different state, although I wasn't certain. I had let go of the reins, my hands numb from the grip, and stepped away from the chariot.

'Hey, Nemesis. I have your chariot, so if you could come and collect it, then tell me where your kid is, that'd be great,' I prayed. In a shimmer of light, the goddess appeared before me.

"Thank you for that errand, Perseus. My son is in Miami, Florida. Good luck." Nemesis smirked at me before getting in her chariot and flying away.. Great.

I looked around at my surroundings. I seemed to be in a city or something. Giant buildings were lit up, mountains could be seen in the distance, cars were cruising down the streets. I found a door and started my climb down the many flights of stairs.

Halfway down, I was on the 50th floor, a drunk man approached me.

"Hey! Hey you! Yeah dude. Look, can you look 'fter my kid? She," he hiccuped, "is like 8 or something. I'll give you $200. Just watch her for like, two hours. I needa do my job and wife's out, thanks. Room 696, thanks." He then shoved a key card into my hand and stumbled down the stairs.

"But, I've got something to do!" I shouted after the man.

"Me too kid. Me too." He then opened a door, probably realising the elevator would be more efficient than the stairs. I sighed. If only I had taken the elevator.

I walked down the hallway, trying to look at the numbers. I was pretty tired, so the numbers got jumbled together. I had walked past the room at least twice. I put the key card into the slot and awkwardly opened the door. "Hello? I'm your, ah, babysitter."

"Oh really?" A girl who defiantly did not look 8, turned on the light next to bed. 

"Yes? I don't really know to be honest. Your dad said that you were 8?" I shuffled my feet as I waited at the door. 

"Honestly, I'm 14." The girl huffed and crossed her arms. "Why doesn't he understand! We're literally in Las Vegas and I can't do anything! I have to stay in my room while some random douche watches me. How do I know you're not going to hurt me?" The teenager pulled out a switchblade and pointed it at me. She was roughly 10 feet away, so I wasn't really worried.

"Las Vegas? That's in California, right? No wait, I'm in Nevada? I wonder how long it'll take to get to Florida. How do I even get to Florida?" I asked the girl. 

"Wait, what?" The girl sat up and looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. "You're not scared? I literally just pointed a knife at you." She lowered her blade and sat at the edge of the bed, squinting at me.

"Hmm? No. I have one too, see?" I pulled out Riptide, uncapping it as I did so. I could see the Mist transforming it to look like a switchblade.

"That's pretty cool." The girl smirked and put her blade away. "You seem pretty cool. Better than the last babysitter at least." I put Riptide away.

"Yeah, I guess I am pretty cool." I laughed, rubbing the back of my head nervously. How was Annabeth doing? Harry? Has Voldemort tried to make any moves. Is my mom doing okay?

"You said you were trying to get to Florida? Why don't you just take an airplane?" The girl interrupted my thoughts.

"An airplane? Are you crazy?" I gave her an incredulous look and shook my head. "I would literally die if I ever attempted that again." I involuntarily shivered.

"Oh?" This caught her attention. "Why? You think a lightning bolt is going to come out of the sky and shoot you down?" She laughed. 

"Actually, that might be exactly what would happen. Anyways, the Hoover Damn is near by, isn't it?" I questioned as I walked towards the window. 

"A couple of hours, I think. Why?" Her eyebrow rose in question.

"They have some good dam snacks." I laughed sadly. I wistfully looked up at the stars, searching for Zoë.

"I take what I said back, you're lame." The girl stuck out her tongue playfully.

"So what are your doing here on a Thursday? Aren't you supposed to be in school or something?"

"I'm on Christmas Break, you nerd." She humphed and turned on the TV.

"Oh. Christmas is coming up, isn't it? Oh gods, Christmas is coming up and I haven't got any gifts! Annabeth is so going to kill me. What am I going to get mum? Well I have been dead, maybe I can just transfigure something. Yeah.." I mumbled to myself, now pacing.

"How could you forget Christmas?! You've got an accent, are you British? And what do you mean you've been dead. You certainly don't look dead to me." She squinted her eyes as if expecting I'd turn into a zombie. 

"I've been really busy, you know. And I have been in England and Scotland for the past year, give or take. And I, uh, meant that I've been dead inside. Ha.. ha?" I tried for a smile.

"Same, dude. I take back what I took back, you're actually pretty relatable and cool." She then flipped through the channels, landing on one with two men wearing flannels talking besides a black car. An impala, I think.

"You know, I didn't catch your name. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, though." I sat on the other bed and tried to watch the show.

"Oh yeah. I'm Charlie. And you are?" She said distractingly. 

"Percy." Suddenly the scene with the two men disappeared and showed a guy in a trenchcoat fighting two other guys. He had a blade of some sorts and stabbed the first man. His eyes glowed white and he fell, dead. "Isn't this a little graphic for you?" I asked. 

"Nope. Supernatural is the best show ever and there's no way you'll stop me from watching it." Charlie scooted towards the TV, deeply engrossed. Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

| December 21st, Friday |

Turns out, Supernatural is actually a pretty cool show. I only got to watch two episodes before her father came crashing through the door.

"Here ya go kid. Thanks." He handed me the 200, patted his daughter on her head, then passed out on the bed.

"Well it was nice meeting you Charlie. I've really gotta get going." I anxiously looked out the window to see the raising sun.

"Where you going now? Florida?" She questioned as she yawned.

"Hmm yeah. I havta find a distant cousin of mine.. I hope you have a great break. And I really recommend going to the Hoover Dam. Great place." I smiled, waved goodbye, and left the room.

I headed up the stairs and onto the roof. I was exhausted, having gotten no sleep. I whistled loudly over the sounds of the city below me. A couple of minutes later, my pegasus appeared.

"Heyo Blackjack. Did you miss me?" I walked up to him and patted his side.

'Boss, everyone thinks you're dead,' he neighed angrily.

"Yeah they tend to do that." I laughed. "Don't look at me like that. C'mon I needa get to Florida, but I say we should make a stop in Kansas. I'll buy you some donuts there, okay?" I mounted onto him.

'Kansas, here we come!'

~~~

It took a couple of hours to arrive, since we were constantly attacked, but we finally made it. We found a barn and stumbled inside. I then took out my wand and set some wards up.

'Donuts, tomorrow?' Blackjack huffed.

"Donuts tomorrow. Now let's rest." I laid down and a pile of high and knocked out as soon as my head touched the floor.

| December 22, Saturday |

I woke up at the crack of dawn and started to take down the wardings I had placed. Within 5 minutes, we were in the air again.

It was around mid day when we finally arrived. The sky was clear and the city was alive. We landed in an alleyway and I walked a block to get Blackjack his donuts.

'Thanks Boss. I'll be here if you need me.' I nodded at him and left the open box of donuts for him. 

It was around 2:30 when I stumbled across a park. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but I had a feeling something was off. I sat down on the swings, hey who says a 17-year-old can't have fun, and started swinging while scanning the area. I was able to see a boy fighting off a hellhound. He seemed to be in trouble, so I jumped off the swing and ran to his side.

"Looks like you need some help," I said as I parried the dogs claws with Riptide.

"Thanks." The boy managed. In about a minute, we were able to flank the dog and stab him in his side. "Thanks." The boy repeated again, sitting down in the pile of golden dust. He had a black t-shirt with a spider on it and black skinny jeans that were now flaked in golden dust 

"No problem. That been happening a lot?" I wasn't sure how much the kid knew about what was going on, so I was going to go the safe route.

"Oh yeah. Ever since I killed a pack of hellhounds, they've been after me. Looks like my mom has a heart, sorta. You gonna escort me back to Camp Half-blood?" He took a swig from his canteen.

"Yeah. So you're Nemesis son then?" I asked to clarify.

"I hate when she does that! I'm her daughter," he/she growled.

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise. The person definitely looked like a boy. Short hair, a hard, flat chest, and I'm pretty sure they were wearing boxers.

"Don't look at me like that. Yes, I was born a male, but I identify as a female. You have a problem with that?" They squinted their eyes angrily at me.

"No!" I raised my hands in defense. "So what do you want me to refer to you as? And what's your name?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'm Sam. I would prefer if you'd use she pronouns, thank you for asking. It depends on the person." She looked at her sword, a wicked Stygian blade with steel, it looked like, forged into it.

"I'm Percy Jackson, and I don't mind escorting you to Camp."

"So you're Percy Jackson, huh? Nice to finally meet you. Mom told me that everyone at Hogwarts is safe but Voldemort continues on scheming so to be wary. I have no idea what any of that means, but I think it'll be useful for you." She laid down on her back and stared at the sky.

"Thank you." At least Annabeth was okay. Although the part about Voldemort does seem worrying. "You hungry, kid?"

"I could eat a whole hamburger." Sam smirked at me. 

"Well I guess we're getting hamburgers." I helped her up and she lead the way.

She brought us to some burger joint that was near her makeshift 'hq'.

"You're paying, right?" Sam asked as we walked through the door.

"Sure." I shrugged my shoulders.

We sat down at a table in the back corner while a waitress came up to us, handing us a menu.

"Anything to drink?" She asked nicely.

"I'll have a Dr. Pepper and the kid will take an orange juice." I joked.

"I'll actually take an apple juice." Sam huffed. I laughed and the waitress cracked a smile.

"So. Son of Poseidon. Must be cool." Sam commented after putting down her menu.

"It has it's perks," I agreed. I looked at my menu once more before putting it down.

"I bet. I've met your dad before. Cool god. Where as there is my mom and well, you've met her. She believes in the natural balance and whatnot. She's been over protective, which I appreciate, but it's suffocating. Especially since she loves her revenge." Sam puffed out her cheeks and rolled her eyes.

"I'm guessing school was a rollercoaster?" 

"Nightmare more like," she laughed. The waitress came by and handed us our drinks.

"We're ready to order. I'll have a double bacon cheese burger with a shake and some fries." I grinned at the thought of the food.

"And I'm gonna have a supreme with a strawberry smoothie and curly fries please." Sam also grinned and handed the waitress back the menus.

"Gotcha." She wrote down our order and lingered. "You wouldn't happen to be Percy, would you?" She asked almost shyly.

"Er, yeah?" I answered unsurely.

"It's just that you saved my sister's baby on that cruise ship a couple days ago and I wanted to say thank you. I saw the video and jumping into shark infested waters? That's crazy cool. 50% off for you guys." She smiled and walked away.

"Should I ask?" Sam sniggered.

"I just saved a kid from being mauled by sharks, no big deal." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Whatever you say, Water Boy." 

| December 23rd, Sunday |

Halfway to New York, Sam leaned over the side of Blackjack and threw up. I started to laugh, imagining the reactions of the people below.

'Seriously? Sorry Boss, but there's no way I'm gonna let this kid throw up on me.' Blackjack then dived down to a nearby building.

"It's alright. I'll call you when we're in New York, okay?" I said in between laughs. We dismounted and watched Blackjack fly away.

"I'm sorry. I just- heights aren't really my thing. I did my best, I really did." Sam looked like she was about to cry, so I stopped laughing.

"Hey, it's alright. Let's get you washed up and catch a train going to New York." I patted her back and started climbing the ladder off of the store.

| December 24th, Christmas Eve |

It was about 7:50 when we finally reached the city. I whistled for Blackjack and we were up in the air again.

"You think you can handle 10 minutes?" I asked Sam.

"Yeah." She squeaked.

Not even a minute later, two griffins appeared. I pulled out Riptide and Sam grabbed her sword nervously.

"Blackjack, take us home, we won't make it to camp," I said. I swung my sword as one of the griffins came closer to us. We were trying to fend them off, but one of them charged straight at us. It caught me off guard. Sam and I smashed through a window and I landed on top of her.

"Percy!" I heard my mom shout.

"Percy! Oh gods!" That was for sure Annabeth.

"Thalia, do the thing!" Nico and Thalia were here too? 

"Oh gods, what happened?" I could feel Paul taking out the shards of glass from my arm.

"Water Boy, get off me," Sam moaned in pain. I rolled off of her and Annabeth caught me. She brought me over to the couch and I saw Nico and Thalia drag Sam next to me.

"So who wants to explain first?" Mom asked.

"You guys. How's it going at Hogwarts? And, no offense, but why's Thalia here?" I wrapped my arm around Annabeth's waist and snuggled into the crook of her neck.

"When you disappeared, Thalia showed up. I think she was your replacement. Alecto is our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and Voldemort is trying to build up his ranks using Greek monsters. So what happened with you, are you okay?" Annabeth hugged me closer to her.

"Well I died. Again. Kind of? Dunno. Was in Hades for a while.." I then went on to explain my week as if I was only gone for a vacation.

"Thank the gods your fine now." Mom offered me a blue cookie and she stroked my face. "I don't know if I can keep living like this, with your sudden disappearances. The last time you were gone, you went to hell, I don't want that happening again." She then started to break down into tears, gripping me and my girlfriend tightly together.

"Shh, it's okay mom. I'm okay now. We're fine, we're here." I felt bad for making her cry. I always thought of my mom when I was away, but I never knew it had this big of an impact on her.

After an hour, everyone was settled down and full from dinner.

"Do you think any stores are still open?" I questioned.

"Kelp Head, it's 10pm, I doubt any stores are open." Thalia rolled her eyes.

"But I didn't get you guys any Christmas gifts!" I complained.

"You were dead, Seaweed Brain, I'll let it pass this once." Annabeth joked.

"Well I am a wizard now. And I don't have a trace on me.." I thought aloud.

"Percy, I know what your thinking. If your going to do it, at least don't get caught. And make sure you leave some money behind." My mom warned.

"Yes! Thanks mom!" I jumped up off the couch.

"Take Nico with you. I'd feel better if you did." Paul suggested.

"Alright. Let's go, Death Breathe." I smiled at my cousin.

~~

We ended up sneaking into Walmart. I had to be cheap about the presents this year since I only had $20 and it was last minute shopping. We were walking down the aisles, a Lumos spell helping us navigate our way. As we were heading towards the toys, we saw Christmas ornaments.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked Nico.

"Sadly, I know exactly what you're thinking. It's a stupid idea, but do it." I walked over and grabbed one that was blue and had lightning bolts on it. What a coincidence.

We then walked over to the toy section to get some Legos for Leo. Although we saw the skateboards and got distracted. We ended up riding through the store for about an hour..

It took until midnight, but we finally got all the gifts that we needed. We left $30, Nico had some money, and left the store. We ended up having to use magic to transfigure some objects, but I think we did a great job. I called Neptune and asked him to deliver our gifts. Once he disappeared, Nico and I shadow travelled back to our apartment.

| December 25th, Christmas Day |

"Merry Christmas!" I shouted as my alarm went off at 6:30am. Annabeth groaned from next to me and Nico told me to shut up. I got up and went into the kitchen to see my mom already awake and making breakfast.

"Morning Percy." She smiled at me.

"Morning Mom." I kissed her on the cheek. "Anything you need help with?"

"Just set the table for me please. Thank you." 

I set the table for 7 people and walked into the living. On the couch, Sam was barely waking up and on the floor Thalia was still asleep.

"Breakfast's almost ready. Wake up guys. We gotta eat then open presents!" I said excitingly.

"Fine," Thalia mumbled, slowly getting up.

After breakfast was finished, we sat in the living room in a circle. Paul handed out the presents.

"Who wants to open their presents first?" Sally asked.

"How about Annabeth starts, then we'll go in a circle?" I offered. Everyone nodded their heads and she rolled her eyes.

The first present she got was from Hermione. It was a book about offensive and defensive spells, which was pretty cool. Draco got her a fancy sleeveless dress. From Ron and Harry she got candy. Molly gave her a grey knitted sweatshirt with a blue A on it. Jason and Hazel gave her a book about different types of magical creatures. Frank gave her a pair of Chinese handcuffs, which she laughed at, Leo gave her a hair clip made of Celestial Bronze, and Piper gave her a book, but she wouldn't tell us what it was about. Although she was blushing profoundly when she looked at the cover. Grover had sent her a pair of reedpipes, hoping that she'd learn how to play. Mom gave her a pair of pearl earrings, Paul gave her a matching necklace. I got her a mood ring that actually works because Severus helped me with it (Neptune had come back with some things from people). Thalia gave her a couple of drachmas, since she didn't have time to go out, Nico got her a kids tiara, and Athena gave her a letter with an olive tree seed.

Then it was my turn. I got a knitted sea green sweatshirt with a P on it from Molly. Two rings from my mom with a wink. Paul gave me a new razor blade with some socks. Thalia got me a deformed rock, which she said reminded her of me. Sam gave me a pen, which I laughed at, seeing as she scolded me for having a pen sword because she had almost stabbed herself with Riptide. Nico got me a box of condoms, "Trojan. You get it? Cuz your Greek?" He received a punch in the arm from me, a high five from Thalia, a face palm from Annabeth and a shake of the head, although she was smiling, from mom. Grover had given me a t shirt from the Hoover Dam, which made me laugh a little too hard. Finally, Poseidon got me a seashell with a trident carved into it and a letter. I guess you don't get many presents when your dead.

Next was Sam, who just awkwardly sat there, not expecting to get anything. From me, she got a sock filled with butter, don't ask, and from my mom she got a baggie full of delicious blue chocolate chip cookies.

Nico, from me, got a whole set of mythomagic playing cards with figurines. It helps to be the savior of Olympus sometimes. Annabeth gave him a book on the arts of being a master at wand work or something. Thalia gave him a silver hunting knife that had a hole right through it. Molly knitted him a dark black jumper with a red N on it. Harry gave him a couple of chocolate frogs and jelly beans. Hermione gave him a cool metal bracelet that gives him the time. How convenient? Hazel gave him a pair of black jeans with a note saying "don't rip these, love you." Severus got him a book about dark arts and another on potions. Jason got him a rainbow t-shirt. Leo gave Nico a box that said "don't open in front of people".. that's a little suspicious. Piper gave him some cologne with the bottle decorated with skulls. Frank got him a rare mythomagic card, wow trying to show me off, Reyna got him a picture of the two of them in New Rome. Will wrote him a letter and sent some medical supplies along with some flowers. Mom gave him a new leather jacket and Paul gave him some books. Hades sent him a letter along with a diamond.

Next was my mom and I gave her a dolphin pillow pet and an enchanted two way mirror I found in the sketchy parts of Diagon Alley (I had kept it in my room last time I visited). Annabeth had given her a diary of sorts. Mom could write in it and Annabeth would be able to see what she wrote and respond, it worked vise versa. "So we don't have to waste parchment and tire out Percy's phoenix," she said. A couple of her friends had given her some gift cards and money. Nico gave her a boxful of candy from Hogesmede no doubt. Grover sent her some flowers from Canada. Chiron sent her a letter and so did Poseidon. Finally, Paul had given her a brochure of homes, a couple circled, and a smile on his face. "I'm thinking of getting a house, since our family is growing. These are a couple that I think we'd like, and don't worry. I've been saving up." Mom reached across and hugged him, trying to hide her tears.

Thalia, once released from Mom's and Paul's hug, reached for the presents. Artemis had given her a brand new bow. It was silver with some engravings on it. A couple of the hunters sent postcards with updates on how their doing. Reyna, to my surprise, sent her a movie with a sticky note that had a winky face on it. That's pretty odd. Jason had sent her a new Green Day shirt and some chains. Piper sent a mixtape, interesting. She moved to open my present and I had to try and conceal my smile. She unwrapped it and opened the box to see the blue tree ornament with the lightning bolts on it. Nico and I started to laugh until Thalia raised her glare to us. "What is it, Thals?" Annabeth asked. Thalia then took out the ornament and Annabeth's eyes lit up with understanding. My mom grabbed it gingerly out of her hands and hung it on the tree, oblivious to the meaning behind it. Thalia then opened Nico's gift which was a bunch of car fresheners. "I'm so going to get you guys later," she promised. Our laughing ceased immediately. Mom had gotten her a couple of ear piercings and Paul gave her an ACDC t shirt. Zeus had given her a letter, along with a silver necklace with a yellow lightning bolt that cackled with power.

Finally, it was Paul's turn. I had given him a couple of quills and parchment because he had mentioned to me that he would enjoy having a set. Annabeth got him a couple of wizarding books and newspaper from the Dailey Prophet, which had either Harry or I on it, and Paul's face was filled with excitement. Nico had gotten him a boxful of candy, seriously what's with the candy, and Thalia gave him a tie that had fishes on it. He opened Mom's box and pulled out a pink pacifier. "Wait. Wait, wait. Does this mean what I think it means?"

"I'm pregnant." My mom confirmed. Paul got up, lifted my mom up, and hugged her tightly.

"That's the best gift you could have given me," he whispered. 

I crawled over to Annabeth. "So. What'd you think of your present?" 

"Why don't you tell me?" She held out her hand with the ring and it was a swirling light blue.

"I'd say that your happy." I smirked. "So I didn't miss anything too important while I was away?" I asked.

"Nothing that comes to mind. But I did miss you, Percy. We all did." She took my hand and we sat watching the people in front of us.

And somehow I knew, everything was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a long time since I've updated. I had pneumonia and I'm actually starting to become social. Basically I've either been sick, busy, or procrastinating. Questions, concerns? Just comment! Don't be shy


	17. The Beginning to the End

-Harry Pov-

It was Christmas morning! I jogged down the stairs into the living room. Sirius was already up, cooking breakfast with Kreacher, which was a weird sight. Hermione came down the stairs right after me, Remus in toe. The Weasley's were at the Burrow, but would be visiting later this week for a meeting with the Order.

"Morning Harry," Hermione greeted.

"Morning 'Mione. Ready to open some presents?" I asked as I sat down by the Christmas tree.

"Wait for me!" Sirius called from the kitchen. He brought five plates stacked with pancakes along with bacon and orange juice.

"Are you all ready to open the presents?" Remus asked. I nodded my head eagerly as did my godfather. "Alright, well go for it," he chuckled.

Hermione had organised the presents already by person, so I dug right in. Sirius gave me a couple of photographs of my mum and dad along with a letter from my mom. Remus got me a holster for my wand. Hermione gave me a book of defensive spells. Ron had gotten me a Quidditch poster along with a couple of chocolate frogs. Fred and George gave me a box full of their pranks.. Molly got me a red knitted sweatshirt with a golden H. Dobby sent me two pairs of socks, both of them were mismatched. Leo gave me a dagger, with a note saying it was celestial bronze and to have Hermione teach me how to use it. Piper got me a comb that looked like a muggle switch blade along with some deodorant. Hazel got me an obsidian rock, with a note saying it was supposed to to bring good fortune. Nico got me a pair of jeans that were actually my size. Annabeth had gotten me a candle in the shape of an owl. The last present was in blue wrapping paper. I picked it up and slowly unwrapped it. I opened the box and confitee flew out of it. "Surprise! I'm back! Missed me, I know. I'm with my mum and Annabeth so you can send my presents there." It was definitely Percy's voice. He chuckled and inside the box was a snow globe with the Empire State Building.

"Percy's alive! Oh thank the gods, that's good to hear," Hermione muttered. She had gotten a good amount of gifts as well.

"The mudblood got Kreacher a present?" Kreacher whispered in awe.

"Don't call her that!" Sirius demanded. "I forbid you to say that, Kreacher."

"It's quite alright. He didn't mean it. Do you like your gift?" Hermione had a wistful smile.

"Kreacher loves his gift. Thank you." And just like that, Kreacher hobbled off towards the kitchen with a knitted blanket.

"That was.. kind of you Hermione. I didn't even think of getting him any presents." Sirius patted her on the back and she smiled at him.

"So when are you going to go visit your parents?" Remus asked as we ate our breakfast.

"I was going to go after we ate. Would you guys like to meet them? I don't think they'll mind." Hermione finished the rest of her juice and looked up at us.

"Are- are you sure?" Sirius looked between Remus and I for our opinion.

"I've been in more life or deaths situation with you and Ron than I can count on my two hands. I think it's about time I met your parents, Athena not counting," I joked. Hermione smiled brightly at the three of us.

"We could take the Knight Bus there. I know they'll be excited to meet you all! They also don't know that I'm a demigod, so let's try to keep that secret," Hermione blushed.

"No problem. You all ready?" My godfather asked. "You got 10 minutes to change and do whatever. Go."

~~~

We arrived outside of Hermione's house about half an hour later. We walked up to the door and she knocked nervously. About 10 seconds later, a tall man with messy brown hair answered the door.

"Hermione! Hey baby girl," she blushed at the comment, "How are you doing? It's been a while! How about- oh. Hello. Are these your friends?" Mr. Granger took off his glasses and whipped them on his shirt before putting them back on.

"Hello Mr. Granger. My name is Sirius Black, this is Remus Lupin, and that's my godson Harry Potter. Sorry for dropping by unannounced, but Hermione invited us. If that's okay.." Sirius trailed off.

"Oh! Of course! I've been wanting to meet you guys for a while, come in, come in." He gestured inside the house and opened the door wider.

"I'm just going to run into my room real quick to drop off my gifts," Hermione said as she ran up the stairs. 

"Oh hello. Nice to meet you, I'm Felicity Granger and that's my husband Oliver. I know you're Harry and you are..?" She looked between Sirius and Remus.

"I'm Remus Lupin and that's Harry's godfather, Sirius Black," he introduced while shaking the Granger's hand.

"Sirius Black, the mass murderer?" Felicity raised an eyebrow in question, but had a playful smirk. "Hermione has told us all about you guys. Thank you for taking care of her, all of you. Although she is the one who saves you guys more often than not, I hear."

"That is true. She did save my life in their third year and has saved Harry's multiples times I bet," Sirius joked. I nodded my head in agreement.

"Hey Mum, Dad, I got your presents." Hermione jogged down the steps and jumped at the third to last one.

We walked into their living room which had a carpet in the center, a fireplace with a fire going, two couches, a large TV, and framed pictures. I sat down in between Sirius and Remus.

"This one's for you and this one for you," she said as she handed the gifts. She gave her father a couple of quills along with parchment and an alarm clock. She gave her mother a jewel necklace. Then her mom and dad handed her a gift which was a couple of muggle books I recognized from the time I spent in the library. 

"So how's school been?" Oliver asked once we were seated with a cup of tea.

"It's been interesting for the most part. The American students have kept Hogwarts alive." 

"You told me that the Percy boy went missing, though." Felicity raised her eyebrows in question.

"Yes.." I could tell she was figuring out what to say without giving away anything. "It turned out he was sent to a family emergency. He's fine now, though."

"Hades finally let him go, that's good," Felicity nodded. I nodded my head in agreement.

"Yeah, he's at his mom's. Wait- did you just say Hades?" Realization dawned on the both of us as we looked over at Felicity.

"Yes. God of the Underworld. Or Pluto, if you prefer." Oliver shrugged. 

"Wait wait. You guys knew?" Hermione gasped in confusment.

"Of course we knew. Granted, we had only found out when you told us Percy went missing. The goddess of magic graced us with her presence and told us more about your struggle with You-Know-Who. We can help," Felicity grabbed Hermione's hands.

"Mum, Dad, I love you guys, but this isn't something you can be apart of. You have no magic and you can't defend yourself." She pleaded.

"Hermione's right," Sirius offered. "Voldemort is a known muggle killer. He isn't at full strength and the ministry still refuses to think he's alive, but he is. And it's already bad, for him anyways, that you guys are muggles, but if he finds out that you're daughter is also a demigod.." he trailed off.

"So there's nothing we can do to help?" Oliver asked, defeated.

"You can help us by living with Sirius just until the war is over. At least this way we know you're safe and we don't have to worry about Voldemort trying to attack you." I gave them a reassuring smile.

"I don't mind at all. I could use the company. Even after my name has been cleared, not many people are fond of me and Remus has to leave for Order business and whatnot every once in a while," Sirius agreed.

"Well that settles it. We won't be going anywhere until you guys are back at school. Let's enjoy being here while we can." Felicity then got up to stretch. "Would you guys like to stay for dinner? We were planning on making a giant dinner anyways."

"That would be fantastic, thank you!" Remus thanked them.

"Not a problem. Hermione, mind setting the table for later? Thank you dear," Felicity then looked at us. "You guys can watch TV if you'd like." She gave me the remote.

"Thank you." I turned on the TV and started watching some Sherlock Holmes.

-Percy Pov-

"Percy? I'm on the phone with the talkshow host Ellen. She would like to talk to you." Mom walked over to me and excitingly handed me the phone.

"Er, hello?" I asked unsurely.

"Hello! Are you Percy Jackson?" The female asked.

"Uh yeah. I'm him," Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"I'm Ellen and I would love to have you on my talkshow! I saw what you did for that child, and I think you deserved to be interviewed! How does sending a plane tonight so you guys can come tomorrow sound?" Ellen ranted.

"A plane?" I squeaked.

"Yup! You can bring your mom, dad, and one more person of your choosing!" I could already tell there was no way of getting out of this.

"Sounds.. great," I mumbled.

"Tomorrow we'll have a private jet for you four at this location. Be there at around eight please. Then when you land in Las Angeles, you'll be escorted to a hotel I'll have reserved for you. Everything is free! Then at about 2:30, you'll be escorted over to my building. Sounds good?" As she was talking, I hurriedly wrote everything in Greek.

"Sounds good. Thank you for this." 

"Not a problem! Well, see you tomorrow!" She laughed and hung up.

"Well?" Mom asked. 

"We are going to California tomorrow!" I handed her back the phone, a grin on my face.

"Awesome! I'll start packing!" She said after reading the notes I took.

"We're flying, right?" Annabeth turned to look at me.

"Yup."

"And Zeus is still pretty angry with the last time we went to Olympus?"

"Yup."

"And he'll probably try to shoot us down?" 

"Yup."

"Percy, it's Christmas. You should go and apologise to the gods." She took my hand.

"Only if you go with me," I gave in. 

"Deal."

"Mom, Paul, we're going to Olympus. We'll be back later!" I shouted as I exited the apartment. Not too long ago, the rest of the demigods left to Camp.

We were standing in the elevator, waiting for the 600th floor, when an idea hit me.

"Hey Annie, you know how you love me?" I questioned innocently.

"Yes..." She cautiously rose her eyebrows.

"Would you like to come with me tomorrow? I mean I know your answer is going to be yes, but I just wanted to make sure." 

"Of course, Seaweed Brain." Great! Now I just needed a chat with Aphrodite once I was done with Zeus.

"As lively as ever," I chuckled. Music was blasting and gods, as well as satyrs, were dancing around.

"Percy! Annabeth! Merry Christmas!" Apollo greeted.

"Merry Christmas! You don't happen to know where Zeus is, do you?" I looked around to try and find him, but I couldn't see him.

"Father's moping around in the Throne Room. Well, see you guys later!" He waved and headed over to his sister, Artemis.

I held Annabeth's hand as we wove our way through the crowd, greeting people as we did so.

"Uh, Zeus?" I asked as I stepped into the Throne Room.

"What do you want?" He was about 8 feet, sitting on his throne, knees wrapped to his chest.

"You can go to your mom, I think I got this," I whispered to Annabeth. She gave me a second glance before walking away. I swallowed my pride and went up to the occupied throne and kneeled. "Lord Zeus."

"Perseus," he sounded surprised. I would be too. I can't exactly remember the last time I've showed him respect.

"Lord, I brought you a present. Please forgive me for my rudeness back then. Having Lyssa possessing me was no excuse, and I apologise." Without getting up, I pulled out a wrapped box from my jacket and handed it to him.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" He cautiously took the gift and examined it, even shaking it a bit.

"I can't convince you it's not, but I can assure you I didn't do anything to it." I finally stood up and looked at the god.

He finally opened it, albeit very slowly, and took out a small figurine.

"I know it's not much. I'm not your kid, and I don't know very much about you. But I thought you'd like this." To inflate your ego, I mentally added.

"Thank you. But if you think you can trick me, think again!" He grabbed his master bolt that was next to his throne and thoughtfully pet it. Weird.

"I just came to say sorry, not to try and trick you." I put my hands in front of me in surrender. "Plus, I'm going to by flying tomorrow, and I don't want to be blasted out of the sky." 

"I see." He turned the Zeus action figure in his hands, examining it. "Fine. I might play around, but I promise not to do too much damage. You're dismissed." The God of the Sky then got up, magically changed clothes, and walked out.

"Now to find Aphrodite," I thought aloud. As I was able to walk away, I caught a glimpse of the hearth. I went over to it and I found Hestia as a little girl poking the flames. "Merry Christmas, Hestia." 

"Merry Christmas, Percy. How is your quest going?" I sat down next to her and took in the warmth of the flames.

"It is getting towards the difficult side, but I'm managing," I honestly replied.

"From my hearth, I can see all. Just remember that you have friends and family. Also, don't lose sight of what's right." She paused and looked over at me. "Poseidon is waiting for you outside. Go to him." She gave me a smile before walking out.

"Percy! Merry Christmas my son!" Poseidon brought me into a hug. "It's good to see you alive and well."

"I bet it is," I joked. "How's rebuilding your palace going?" I wanted to keep up on current events. Ha, get it? Current events!

"It has been hard, indeed. Triton isn't very fond of having to aid with the rebuilding, but it is a process. Tyson is doing well, often asks about you. Oh! That reminds me! This is his present to you. Remember that shield he made you? He made another one and updated it." He handed me a wrist watch.

I wrapped the brown leather around my wrist and buckled it. I pressed the golden button and a celestial shield sprung out.

It was four feet in diameter and had five pictures engraved on it. The first one was Nico on the shore on a river, skulls and bones littered around him, while I was submerged. That must have been the Styx.

The next one was Tyson and Ella the harpy sitting on top of Ms. O'Leary, reading some books. The stars were above them and I could make out Zoë's constellation.

The third one had the seven of the prophecy standing in front of the Athena Parthenon. Nico and Reyna flanked them while Coach Hedge stood in the front with his wife and baby. The sun was high above our heads and I remembered when we took that picture. It was just an hour before the Romans were leaving, Chiron took the picture for us.

The fourth was a picture of Paul, Sally, Tyson, Grover, Poseidon, Annabeth, and I at the beach. We went there after everything was settled back at Camp. Dad was only able to stay for about five minutes, but we had a barbecue. Tyson played with Rainbow in the water, splashing around. Grover and Annabeth caught up while I was talking to the sea god. Right before he left we had taken a picture. Poseidon was in the middle, he had his right arm wrapped around my shoulder, his left around Annabeth. Tyson stood next to me, smiling and eye lit up. In his hands he had a jar of peanut butter. Mom stood next to him, an apron on. You could feel the warmth of her smile through the shield. Grover stood next to Annabeth, his goat legs covered in sand. He had his arm wrapped around her waiste and his horns stuck out of his curly hair. Then Paul stood next to him, hands in his swim trunks. One of my favorite family pictures.

The last one had a giant chasm. The Argo 2 was above, trying to get the Athena statue on board. I was grasping the edge of the cliff while desperately holding onto Annabeth. My face was shielded by my hair and Annabeth was looking at me with pleading eyes. She had on her cast, which was tangled in spider webs. Tears slowly trailed down my face.

"This is beautiful. I didn't even think of getting him a gift, and he got me such an amazing thing.." I trailed off. I pressed a button by the straps and the shield turned back into a watch, the time ticking like nothing happened. 

"It's alright, son. I'll tell him how much you loved the gift. I'll be seeing you soon," he patted my back then turned into water, flying away until I saw him reappear next to Hades. Show off. I'll learn that one day..

I walked around until I found the goddess of love. "Excuse me, Aphrodite? I have a favor to ask.."

~~~

I boarded the jet hesitantly, Mom slowly pushing me inside.

"Percy, Zeus said he wouldn't do anything," Annabeth soothed.

"He said he most likely won't do anything. This doesn't help my paranoia." I groaned.

"It's only four hours. Try to sleep through it," Mom chided.

For the first hour, nothing too bad happened. The fight attend people were very nice and there was even a TV! Sally and Paul were watching some movie while I kept on fiddling around in my chair.

"Percy! Stop moving around so much, I'm trying to read!" Annabeth giggled and slightly hit me with her hardcover book.

"I can't! My ADHD and anxiety are high at the moment," I complained.

"Ugh, here," she handed me a black cube with red buttons and stuff, "I brought you a fidget cube because I knew you wouldn't be able to survive."

I took it in my hand. On the top, it had a joystick of some kind. On one of the sides, it has five buttons. Next to that was a little sphere with things you can run your finger over. Then there was a little switch that was oddly fun to play with. The last thing went in circles.

The cube worked for about half an hour, but my worries started again when the plane swayed side to side, even shaking. It was like an earthquake on board!

"No need to worry, this is just turbulence, buckle up please." The co pilot instructed.

"This isn't like any turbulence I've seen," I heard the pilot mutter. I tightened myself to the seat and clutched onto arm rests.

"Relax. Here, if you figure this out, I'll give you a baggie of blue cookies," Annabeth bribed. My ears perked up at the sound of blue cookies and I gladly took the colorful cube.

/At the hotel/

"This is wonderful," my mom breathed out as she stepped into the room. We had a suite on the top floor. I walked in and there was a little kitchen with a living room area. The bathroom had a giant bath next to a shower. In the bath, there were jets. Sweet. Then there were two rooms with king sized beds. I went into the first bedroom and threw down my stuff. I opened the blinds and wow. From here I could see the Hollywood sign and a bunch of people milling around like ants. 

"It's nice to get a vacation, isn't it Sally?" I heard Paul ask her.

"Yes it is," she agreed.

After a while, I looked at the time and realised I should be getting ready. I went into my room and looked through my luggage. Annabeth was smart enough to charm her bag to fit a lot more in it than it should. I pulled out a Camp Half-blood tank top, since it was surprisingly warm, and a pair of blue jeans. I slipped on my black converse before going into the bathroom.

"Percy! Look at your hair!" Mom came over to me with a comb and tried to fix my hair. She was wearing a pencil skirt with a nice dress shirt.

"There's no way you can fix it Sally. Believe me, I've tried," Annabeth smirked as she came from my mom's room. She had on a sleeveless white dress that reached her shins. The dress was embedded with gold lining and her princess like curls tumbled just past her shoulders.

"Now brush your teeth young man, we're running late!" Mom shoved toothpaste and a toothbrush in my hand before rushing out of the room.

Hurriedly, I brushed my teeth, put on some deodorant, and fix the beads on my necklace.

"Let's go!" Paul gestured us out of the room and into the elevator. He had black slacks with a dress shirt and a solid blue tie.

"I feel underdressed." I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I had a feeling you would," Annabeth teased.

/At Ellen's studio thing/

"I would like to introduce you all to Percy Jackson!" I heard my name and jogged onto stage, briefly waving at the audience before sitting down.

"It's nice to meet you," I offered my hand to be polite.

"And you too! I saw the video of what you did. Amazing! Let's see what this young man did!" Before I could even process what she said, I looked behind me and saw a giant screen. A video started to play.

"Look at those sharks! Marvelous," a man's voice said. He had his phone casted downwards. Then all of a sudden you could see a baby falling. Gasps were heard in the audience.

"My baby!" The mother yelled. James being halfway down, you could see me dive overboard.

"Oh my, they are both dead!" Someone off camera whispered.

As we fell in the water, sharks and fishes came closer. When I went up for 'air' a large Great White made a circle around me.

"Get the captain!" Another off camera person shouted. The audience was sitting in their seats, anticipating what would happen next.

I put James on my shoulders and allowed the fishes to come closer. Now in a tight circle, all sorts of fish, dolphins, and sharks came up to me. James and I petted their fins before the life preserver came down. I went through the tube before grasping the baby and we went up.

"And there you have it folks! Percy Jackson saving that baby's life!" The audience clapped and I looked over towards them, a blush on my face. I saw my family then looked over slightly and saw Piper, Jason, Frank, and Hazel!

"Why did you go to save the baby?" Ellen asked as she faced towards me.

"Er, it was the right thing to do? No offense, but I doubt anyone else would have done that. I felt like I had good chances of saving him, and my luck held," I answered honestly.

"That was mighty brave of you. So you live in New York, right? And go to Goode Highschool?" I guess she did research on me.

"Uh, yeah," I dumbly answered.

"I hear you're swim captain. You must love being in the water, huh?" The audience laughed as she slightly nudged my arm.

"Y-yeah, the water is my life. I get it from my dad," I smirked. I could already tell Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of your dad, he was lost at sea, right? Your poor mom had to raise you practically by herself. I see she's engaged and I heard she was pregnant. That's why I'm giving her a $500,00 check, along with a baby crib, diapers, and formula! And everyone in the audience gets a $50 gift card to Target!" My mouth dropped as I looked over to my mom. She had tears in her eyes while Paul hugged her and the audience clapped wildly.

"Alright Percy, I've also heard you've been kicked out of every school you've been to, what's the deal with that?" She and the audience laughed.

"Well, I wasn't exactly a bad kid. I just was at the wrong place at the wrong time.. every time," I chuckled. Another wave of laughter went by.

"You seem like a good kid. You have a girlfriend, right? She came with you here?" Ellen looked through the crowd.

"Umm, yeah." I probably sound really dumb, but it's because I'm not used to being interviewed!

"What's her name? How'd you guys meet? How long have you been dating?" She seemed intrigued and sat at the edge of her seat.

"Her name is Annabeth Chase and I met her when we were 12. I go to a summer camp and I was so exhausted the night I got there, I passed out. She nursed over me," I could hear awws from older couples, " and we've been together for about a year and a half, but it feels longer."

"That's adorable! Let's welcome her to the stage. Annabeth Chase, come on down!" The spotlight shined down on her and Jason gave her an encouraging thumbs up.

"Hello," she greeted. She shook the hostess hand before sitting down next to me.

"So you two have known each other for a long time right? Was he always this good looking?" She gestured towards my muscles and laughed.

"Well actually, when we were 12 he could barely lift up a sword," I groaned and hid my face in my hands, "and he was so naïve. But by 15, he was growing into his build. And now he's known as the best swordsman in centuries," she intertwined our hands.

"At the summer camp you use swords! Awesome! Mind if you show us a little sword moves?" She encouraged.

"Um, can we?" I scrunched my eyebrows.

"Of course!" 

I pulled out Riptide and took off the cap. My sword sprung to life. Annabeth simply took her dagger from where it was strapped in the inside of her thigh. No one questioned it or even blinked.

"Ready to get beat, Wise Girl?" I challenged.

"In your dreams, Seaweed Brain."

We fist bumped before taking five steps back. We both turned around and lunged. My sword met her dagger and a clang resonated throughout the room. People's eyes widened. I feigned going left to go right, but she knew I was going to do that and blocked. I took that chance to try and disarm her, but she jumped back to quickly swipe towards my legs. I jumped up brought my sword down. It skimmed her arm before she was able to move around my sword.

It looked like we were dancing. We were able to block each other's moves and sparks flew. But after a minute, she caught me off guard by swiping at my legs with hers. She made contact with my feet and I fell on my back. The crowd went wild as I laughed joyously. I guess it was now or never.

"I guess the odds are in my favor this time," she mocked.

"You know, I feel like they're in mine." I sat up then went into a kneeling position, which she didn't think much of because she thought I was catching my breathe. "Annabeth Chase, I've known you since I was 12 years old, and that's when my life changed. I was thrown into a brand new world and you were right by my side. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else but you and Grover by my side while we went on the crazy adventure to find the lightening bolt. I wouldn't have sailed in the sea of monsters without you. Heck, I wouldn't have been turned into a rodent for anyone else. We were able to save Thalia and that made me realise that we made a good team together. So when you were taken to San Fransisco, I went to get you, even though I wasn't supposed to leave Camp. I held the weight of the world for you, and that's when I realised I would die for you. And when we went into the labyrinth, I knew I had to protect you no matter what, but I wasn't sure why.." Annabeth had tears in her eyes because she knew what was happening.

"Then when you first kissed me in Saint Helens, I knew that I felt something more than friendship for you. And when you took that blade for me on the bridge, I knew you'd die for me too. You are the thing keeps me mortal. I gave up immortality for you. Even when I was gone, you were always in the back of my mind, even though I didn't really know who you were. But when we finally met each other again, I knew right then and there that you and I were going to be forever. And when we went through hell, I knew I wouldn't be able to survive without you. I know I'm ranting and all, I'm sorry." I pulled out the grey velvet box from my pocket. "We've been through so many life and death adventures together, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Will you marry me?" I opened the box and held it up. Inside was a silver ring with sapphire gems decorating it.

 

"Of course Seaweed Brain!" She pulled me up into a passionate kiss. Her tears glossed my face and I could hear the cheers of everyone around us.

"Well that was an unexpected surprise!" Ellen grinned, ear to ear. I looked over to see my mom crying. Piper, Frank, and Hazel had tears in their eyes and Jason was cleaning his glasses.

"Unexpected but very welcomed." Annabeth held my right hand with her left, and I could feel the ring.

"Speaking of surprises, I am giving you a flat screen TV, $100,000, a brand new surfboard, and a fishing set! For the guests, I've got passes to the San Diego SeaWorld park!" Applauses were all that could be heard. We hugged Ellen before leaving the set.

~~~

"Congratulations guys!" Piper hugged us both once we made it back to our hotel.

"Thank you! Hey guys, how's it going?" I bro hugged Jason, hugged Frank, and patted Hazel's hair.

"Good. I'm so proud of the two of you. My babies have grown up quickly!" Jason dramatically said.

"Yup. He's Zeus' son." I clamped him on the shoulder.

"How'd you guys know where we were anyways?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow. That's right! 

"We told Piper. Figured they were in the area and could visit," Mom said as she walked over with Paul.

"Awesome! Did you guys also get rooms here?" We walked towards the elevator and crammed inside.

"You're actually right between us. The guys have the room to the left and we have the room on the right," Piper said.

"Really? That's convenient. How'd you even pay for the rooms?" Annabeth thought for a second. "You did pay, right?"

"Yes," Piper laughed, "my dad is a movie star. I asked him if he could book us these rooms for a couple of days since I knew Percy was going to be on Ellen. Dad once did a signing here, so they gave him a discount." I nodded my head, sounds logical.

"So you're pregnant, Sally? You never mentioned that." Frank smiled as he held the door open for us to our suite.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant. Paul and I have been looking for houses by the beach, not too far from camp. He's been saving up money, and I'm thinking of a two story house, so when you guys visit, we have room." Mom sat down on the couch and we joined her.

"Aww Sally, you're too kind. Oh! We can throw you a baby shower once you guys find a place and settle in!" Hazel's face lit up.

"And we can help you move and decorate!" Frank added.

"Oh no, it's okay, Percy is enough-" Mom started.

"We insist. You know what? We made up our minds. We're going to help you wether you want us to or not," Jason decided.

"You guys are stubborn," Paul scolded playfully.

"Yeah. I think that keeps us alive sometimes," Piper joked.

We all sat around, talking and catching up. We had ordered room service at one point and had pizza.

"You have any plans for tomorrow?" I asked after my fifth slice.

"We were planning on going to Venice Beach to see the sights," Frank gave me a slightly disgusted look, "you can come if you want. Honestly, how much do you eat?" His eyes were wide when he saw me shoving a supreme slice my mouth.

"Wanna go Annie?" I asked with my mouth still full.

"Perseus! Don't talk with your mouth full, I've raised you better!" Mom scoffed.

"Sure. But whose driving and where do we get a car?" Annabeth looked over at Piper since she seemed most familiar with this area.

"Jason. Ever since we came home from Hogwarts, we took our driving tests. I might have convinced my guy to pass me, but that's not the point. As for the car, we drove a minivan here. I hope you guys," she looked over at my mom and step dad, "don't have plans for tomorrow. You may or may not have reservations for a fancy restaurant tomorrow."

"Piper! You shouldn't have!" Paul's shock said it all.

"We all pitched in for it actually. We think you deserve something nice. A teacher's pay and selling books isn't really much of a good pay, so this is our Christmas present to you," Jason explained.

"Aww. Thank you so much. This means a lot to us. Come here." They all grouped hug and that made me appreciate my good friends more.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow. Are you going to join us at the beach?" Frank asked, tentively holding Hazel's hand.

"No. We're going to go sight seeing, but we will make it to dinner. Don't get into too much trouble." We said goodnight and went into our respective rooms. I put on some gym shorts and a SPQR shirt.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked after changing.

"Yes?" I crawled into bed and waited for my fiancé. 

"I love you," she whispered as she laid next to me.

"I love you too. So much." I kissed her then snuggled into her neck. Even though I was taller, I liked being the little spoon every once in a while.

"Goodnight Mr. Jackson."

"Goodnight, soon-to-be Mrs. Jackson." 

/at the beach/

"Have you guys had any monster attacks?" Hazel asked, glancing around.

"Actually no," I responded after I thought about it.

"Isn't Voldemort building his ranks with Greek monsters?" Annabeth looked at me. I gulped and nervously nodded my head. We all tensed and looked around.

"Let's try to enjoy this while we can," Jason had his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I know this shop that has the randomest things. Let's go!" Piper grabbed Jason's hand and took a sharp right. We followed.

~~~

It was around 1 when we decided to go to the actual beach. I took off my shirt and dived into the water, letting the sandy water wash over me. Slowly, the rest of the demigods joined me.

"Wanna see something cool?" Frank asked. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Watch." He turned into a tuna fish, then a Hammerhead Shark, then a seahorse, and finally a giant octopus. I started busting up and so did Jason. Hazel rolled her eyes, an amused smile on her face, while Piper and Annabeth were giggling.

"The mortals are looking at us funny," I let out in between laughs.

"Frank, do a whale!" Jason laughed. Frank then turned into a humongous Whale Shark. I laughed even harder to the point that my ribs ached.

"Man, I miss you guys." I patted Frank and even Hazel couldn't hold back her chuckles. But of course our fun is short lived.

Black Smoke came towards us and it crashed straight into me. "Run," Severus managed before he passed out. In his arms, he was clutching Draco, whose head was bleeding. We rushed them to shore and Severus's clothes were a mess. His shirt was ripped, dry and wet blood were everywhere. He clutched his wand and he looked really pale.

"What did he mean by run?" And all at once a horde of Greek monsters arrived, and the one and only Voldemort stood behind them.

-Severus Pov-

It was the day after Christmas and the cursed mark burnt, meaning Voldemort was summoning us. I put down my cup of tea and composed myself, hiding away my thoughts. After feeling prepared, I flew to Malfoy Manor.

"Ah Severus, my most loyal follower," the Dark Lord murmured as he saw me approach the seat next to him.

"My Lord," I bowed and sat down, being wary of Nagini.

"It seems like we have a coward, a traitor in our mist," Voldemort growled once everyone showed up.

"Who? I'll kill them. Slit their throat and shred them to pieces," Bellatrix manically laughed diagonal from me.

"Do you have any thoughts on who it may be?" He looked at me, completely ignoring the witch.

"No, my lord." He looked at me then looked away. One thought crossed my mind: he knows.

"Luscious, do you mind telling me what you told me yesterday?" Fuck! How could he? I kept calm and let my head remain empty as I look over to him.

"W-well my Lord, S-Severus is a half-blood," Luscious stuttered.

"Of course I am. I'm the Half-blood Prince," I referenced my old nickname from our time at Hogwarts.

"You dare embarrass me like this?" Voldemort hissed at my former friend.

"N-no! H-he's one of them! A d-demigod!" My neutral mask was getting harder and harder to hold up.

"That would explain why the monsters react to him when he walks by. So. Is it true that you and Draco are half-breed scum?" Venom laced his voice. I would have never imagined Luscious would sell out his own son like that.

"Do you have any proof?" I countered.

"Bella, show him what we do to traitors." Before I could even react, I was pulled out of my chair and slammed onto the hard table.

"Gladly." Bellatrix licked her lips and used a spell to tie me down. "Crucio!" 

A thousand invisible knifes wracked my body. I willed myself not to scream. Irritated, she grabbed her knife and rolled up my right sleeve. She started to carve something in it, but I couldn't look over as I was using my energy to silence my screams. When she was finished, she went straight to my chest and started hacking away. I hissed in pain.

"Make him scream!" Voldemort demanded.

"Of course." Although she looked very confused as to why I hadn't shouted yet.

She sliced a giant gash on my side before pulling out a lemon, dear gods when did she get so good at torture? She squeezed it on my cuts and I couldn't help but scream. As she finished squeezing it, she pulled out her wand once again. "Crucio!" I couldn't help the yells that escaped my lips, the pain was unbearable.

"Severus?" I looked over to see Draco standing in the door way.

"Make sure you torture the boy too," Voldemort sneered.

"That wasn't apart of the deal!" Luscious stood up, a frightened expression on his face.

"I changed my mind."

"Draco, run!" I grabbed my wand and shot a spell at Bellatrix. She landed on the table frozen. Before he could react, I shot a silent Stupey at Voldemort. The rest of the Death Eaters were getting their bearings. I raced over to Draco's side and starting shooting spells.

"Expluso!"I heard someone shout. The wall next to us exploded and Draco got nailed in the head. I grabbed him tightly before shadow traveling out of the mansion. I flew away, keeping Percy in mind, and tried to reach him.

My injuries and the weight of Draco made it hard to continue going, but with sheer willpower, I allowed my senses to take me to the son of the sea god.

I managed to spot him, and that's when my body finally gave him. I crashed towards him and noticed some other demigods were with him.

"Run." And with that, I passed out.

 

\------  
Wow, two months later and I finally update. I have a lot of excuses, but I doubt anyone cares, so I'm sorry.

QotP:  
Favorite weather season?  
Answer:  
Winter


	18. Planning Ahead

-Annabeth Pov-

I pulled out my dagger and instinctively stood shoulder to shoulder with Percy. Frank turned into human form, Piper grabbed Katropis, Jason flipped his golden coin, and Hazel summoned her spatha.

"Ah Perseus. I knew Severus would lead me to you," Voldemort cackled.

"What do you want, Tom?" I growled. Keep them talking while I plan out what to do. The mortals avoided the beach like the plague suddenly, which was good for us. Let's see.. 10 cyclopes, 5 empousi, 12 hellhounds, 15 earthborn, a Laistrygonian Giant, and Death Eaters.

"I just want you half-breeds dead!" He thrusted his wand towards the sky and the Dark Mark appeared.

"Hazel, Hellhounds. Piper, earthborn. Jason, fly around and try to get the empousi. I'll get the Cyclops. Percy, deal with the giant and then get the Death Eaters. Frank, try to pick off what you can and cover Severus and Draco. If you think it's safe enough, transform and join us. Go!" I shouted and rushed in, the others right by my side.

As I reached one of the smaller Cyclops, I saw an arrow whizz over my head. The arrow exploded and a cloud of golden dust sprinkled around me.

"Duck!" Without even processing who it was, I ducked my head in time to see a club swipe over. I did a 180 then swiped my blade up, ripping apart another monster. 

I was a blur, twisting around and stabbing nearby monsters. I saw Jason summon lightning, Frank turn into an eagle then a dragon, and Percy create a hurricane. He was maintaining it well, avoiding spells being casted his way and throwing his own attacks that would maim, but not kill.

"6 minutes and 43 seconds. I expected more from you.." Voldemort tisked once we were done.

"Shut it Riddle! Or I'll end you right now," Percy threatened. We nodded in agreement.

"It's Voldemort! You insolent boy! And you can't kill me!" His smug smile said it all.

"Why? Because of you're Horcruxes? We've already destroyed them!" I gave him a shark like grin.

"W-what? H-how? Until we meet again, Jackson!" Voldemort hurriedly turn and flew away, leaving behind his unconscious henchmen.

"Great." Percy's eyes were dark and the water waves rose with his temper.

"We need to go now. Severus isn't going to last much longer," Frank huffed as he jogged next to us.

"I have a safehouse a couple of minutes from here.." Jason adjusted his glasses. "Follow me." Frank and Percy hefted Severus between the two of them while Piper and I got Draco. Hazel was watching our backs in case any other monsters decided to show.

"It's not much, but I got some supplies." Jason hurried us in-between two alley ways and we entered an abandoned, broken down house. Avoiding the rubble, we managed to make it towards the back. There was two sleeping bags, a couple of blankets, a wooden table, some pillows, a shelf that had books with some bandage, and then a first aid kit.

"Hazel lay out that blanket on the table, yes thank you. Now lay him there. Percy, wake Draco and see what you can find out. Jason, do you mind flying back to the Hotel? Leave a note to inform Sally and Paul about what happened and grab some food. It might not be safe to move him tonight. Frank, do you mind checking on Percy's parents? Piper and Hazel, check the perimeter, please. Thank you."

As everyone separated, I took off the son of Hades black robe and black button up shirt. Blood was dripping from cuts and he had something carved onto his right arm. "Ferula," I muttered. Bandages appeared and I set them to the side. "Episkey." Some of the smaller cuts healed. "I'm sorry, but you need to be awake for this. Rennervate." Immediately he started to groan.

"Where, what?" The shirtless man grabbed his head and I could hear Draco talking to Percy.

"I need to patch you up, but I need you to stay conscious so you don't permanently pass out. Okay?"

He nodded. I grabbed a canteen of water and rinsed off the blood. It looked like a carving blade was used, so just to be safe I grabbed rubbing alcohol and dabbed his wounds. Severus hissed, but stayed very still thankfully.

"This is the deepest one, and I have to stitch it up. I'm sorry." He once again nodded through gritted teeth.

I grabbed the small needle and put the thread on it. The gash went from the bottom of his left nipple down to his waist. I winced as I had to do one more cleaning of the cut. Then starting from the top, I carefully sowed his skin back up. Grabbing the bandages, I wrapped them around his torso. He still looked too pale, so I handed him a square of ambrosia.

"Anything under the belt?" I whiped the sweat off my forehead and shot a look at Percy. He was treating Draco.

"Few burns, I think," he grunted.

With his permission, I slid off his trousers. He had glass stuck in a couple of places on his calf and he had minor cuts from, what I'm assuming, more glass. Thankfully I didn't have to stitch anything up again. I removed the pieces and proceeded to treat him. Once I was finished, I tugged his pants back up.

"Do you want to sit up?" At least now he had more color in his face.

"That'd be nice." I helped him lean his back against the wall.

"So what happened?" I asked Percy.

"He doesn't really know much, but he's got a concussion." 

"In a block radius, we seem fine for now," Piper reported as she walked in.

"Just in case, I put up some wardings, so if any Death Eaters or monsters approach, we'll be warned," Hazel added.

"Thank you guys." I rinsed my hands off before walking back to Severus. "Do you mind telling us what happened?" Percy also walked over, putting a cold towel on our patients forehead.

"Tom had summoned us for a meeting. I thought nothing of it until the meeting started. Lucius had told Riddle for whatever reason that Draco and I were demigods. I have no clue why Athena trusted him! Why I trusted him!" He slammed his first into table before taking a couple of breaths. "The maniac Bellatrix tortured me for information that I wouldn't give. Then poor Draco came and I knew we had to escape. As we were making our retreat, he got hit on the head. I flew to you guys, I'm sorry if I ruined your break." He casted his gaze downwards.

"It does stink that we don't have an inside man anymore, but we're glad you made it to us," Percy then handed him a water.

"Where are we, by the way?" Snape asked after drinking about half the bottle and tossing it towards my half-brother.

"Los Angeles," Piper answered.

"No wonder I feel exhausted. Is it safe for me to sleep, Doctor Chase?" He attempted to joke.

"Sure. We're going to put you on the floor though." Everyone helped to bring him towards the ground.

"Ok. We have a week and a half before we return to Hogwarts. I bet today was just a sick little test or something. Voldemort has a bunch of Greek monsters at his disposal as well as bloodthirsty Death Eaters. He might try to attack us again or build his ranks..I don't know." I paced along to try and think about Tom's next move.

"I think he might try to attack Hogwarts," Draco meekly said.

"Why?" Hazel looked as confused as I felt.

"Think about it. We just told him all his Horcruxes have been destroyed. I bet he's going to go looking for them to see if we told the truth. Once he realises that we are telling the truth, then he's probably going to put in a last ditch effort. Somehow he'll try to attack the school." Now that Dray explained it like that, it made sense.

"Okay. How long do you think we've got?" I asked no one in particular.

"I say either late January or early February. He'd want to get revenge as soon as possible, but he has to plan things out. He has to find a way to get in Hogwarts, and how he'll get rid of us." Piper calculated.

"Good point. I think we should go to England next week to inform the Order," Percy sighed.

"Alright." 

Not too long after, came Jason and Frank. We all agreed to spend the night and figure everything else in the morning. 

~~~

"I say we go to Camp," Jason suggested.

"It'll be a long drive and I don't know if he'll be okay through it," Piper gestured towards the still sleeping potions professor.

"If we stay here, the risk of Death Eaters and or monsters attacking us increases. I don't like to be cornered," Frank added.

"What if we get attacked while on the road? We can't exactly fight on the freeway," I thought aloud.

"If things get really bad, then Frank and I can fly out and deal with it. I don't like moving him in the state he's in either, but we've got to for our safety," Jason reasoned.

"I agree with my bro on this one. At least there, we can have proper healers watch over him," Percy chimed in.

"Alright. I'll go get the van." Piper got up and went out.

"5 hours in a car. Yay," Hazel muttered with fake enthusiasm. 

~~~

"Beth, don't you're parents live near here?" Percy asked as we walked around New Rome. The guards by the entrance to camp helped carry Severus to the infirmary.

"Yes, but I already told them we weren't going because of the whole, you know."

"Let's go surprise them! After all, you are now my fiancé." He gave me his typical Percy grin.

"Ugh, fine," I gave in. We walked over towards the border when Terminus greeted us.

"Where you guys going?" The god asked.

"To go see my dad and step-mum," I smiled.

"Have fun! And tell me how it goes!" I looked like he was going to wave goodbye, but couldn't. Maybe I'd build him a body one day?

"Aren't you excited, Wise Girl?" Percy asked as we took the bus.

"Eh. Why are you so keen on going?" I raised a calculating eyebrow at him.

"So I know if we should invite them to the wedding or not!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and quickly kissed my cheek.

"You do have a point." I wasn't completely sure if I wanted them to go. Of course I have some love and respect for my family, but we aren't really that close.

"I was thinking a beach wedding, by Monteku. Grover could be my best man and Thalia could be yours!" Percy's eyes sparkled.

I laughed at him. "She could be my braidsmaid, you mean."

"Yeah! And my unborn sibling could be the flower person! Sure they will be like, 2 months, but Nico could help them! And definitely the colors will be blue and grey. And.." I looked at Percy with affectionate eyes. He was so thrilled spending the rest of our lives together and it just warmed my heart that he cared this much.

"I love you so, so much Percy Jackson." I cut him off from his ranting and pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss.

"And I, you." He smiled.

Half an hour later, I stood outside of my childhood home. I was very nervous.

"It's okay, 'Beth. Take your time," Percy soothed. I swallowed, grasped his hand, then knocked on the door. I could hear scrambling inside until a small boy opened the door.

"Annabeth?" He questioned with a frown.

"Bobby! I told you to not open the door to strangers! I'm sorry, who- Annabeth?" My step mom asked. She was still short, 5'4 and still had red steaks in her light, hazel hair.

"Hello, Maria." I tightened my hold on Percy's hand.

"Maria? Who's at the door?" Then I saw my dad walk to the door. He stood at 5'7, still shorter than I, and his sandy blonde hair was a mess. His hazel eyes were calculating behind his glasses.

"Hi Dad."

"Come in, come in! And you must be Percy! My, you've grown from the last time I saw you, young man!" My dad ushered us inside and my boyfriend had to slightly duck his head to enter the house.

"Um yeah. I've changed a lot," he agreed, shaking my dad's hand.

"Well I was prepping dinner. It should be done in the next ten minutes. You can join us, if you're willing to stay," Maria awkwardly shuffled around.

"We would love to," I embraced her and the awkward tension left the room.

"Oh, thank gods. Matthew is in the living room playing video games. Why don't you three go in and join him?" Dad asked. We nodded and followed Bobby into the living space.

"Hey Matthew!" I engulfed the twins in a tight hug. "You two have grown! How old are you guys now?" I sat down on the loveseat, Percy right next to me.

"We're 12 now!" They responded simultaneously.

"You guys have grown, huh?" I ruffled their caramel brown hair.

"We've missed you. And who's that?" Bobby turned off the video games and focused on us.

"I'm Percy Jackson. I came by a few years ago to save your sister, remember?" He leaned back and rested his head on my neck.

"Oh yeah! Remember Bobby?" Matthew coaxed.

"He blew up the car!" The two devils started to laugh in delight.

"You did what?" I don't remember hearing this part of the story.

"It wasn't our fault, I swear. I mean Zoë was a great driver, but the monsters.." he trailed off once he noticed the twins weren't laughing anymore and paying attention to us.

"How's school been?" I tried to keep the topic off of me. Sure, they knew something was weird about me, but they didn't actually know about demigods. I think. It never came up in conversation.

"Boring," Bobby replied. Whereas Matthew gleefully shouted, "Awesome!"

"I can agree with Bob," Percy laughed and high fived him.

"Well I can agree with Matt. On occasion." I stook my tounge out at my boyfriend then high fived the book nerd of the pair.

"For English, we had to write a personal narrative. So I wrote about how my kickass older sister fights monsters!" Bobby triumphly smiled. "But my teacher said monsters aren't real," he then pouted.

"I used the demigods thing for a fictional essay and I aced it!" Matthew smugly looked at his brother.

"Wait. You guys know about-" Percy dramatically lowered his voice to a whisper- "demigods?" Even I was surprised.

"Yup. We may not be Athena kids, but we are smart and can figure things out by ourselves," Bobby winked.

"Styx! You guys are really not supposed to know about this, you know that right? Much less write about it! Did you tell any mortals?" I internally panicked. 

"Cool it! Mom and Dad know that we know, but they still don't tell us what you're up to. Not that you write much anyways," Matthew grumbled.

"Your sister is a hard-working girl. Do you know how hard it is to keep me alive? Very hard! I once fell of my skateboard into a sewer.." and then Percy went on a tangent. Thankfully he was able to keep the two boys busy while I examined the room.

There was a new flat screen TV. Instead of Legos on the floor, there were wires. A system of some sorts was placed under the TV while there was a stack of games in the shelfs. On the actual TV holder, there were framed pictures.

"Dinner is ready," Dad called from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Matthew and Bobby shouted. They hurriedly got off the couch and ran to the kitchen.

"Ready?" Sea green eyes met mine.

"Ready."

We walked into the dinning room and I took a seat next to my siblings. 

"Do you want to sacrifice some of your food? I can light the fireplace for you." Maria asked as she passed out the plates. That was a thoughtful thing to ask.

"No need, but thank you for the offer," Percy shot her a grateful smile and I couldn't help my frown disappearing. She's changed.

"So, this is your boyfriend then?" My dad asked halfway through our meal. It was a good bowl of spaghetti with garlic bread.

"Yes." 

"He's also the one that went missing? What happened there? You just told us that the prophecy ended and poof, he's gone. After that, you hardly wrote to us until last week," Maria gave me a concerned look.

Percy awkwardly scrunched his shoulders and ducked his head as he ate. 

"Turns out that Hera took him. We went to the Roman demigod camp that is right here in San Francisco. Then we made our way to Greece to try and stop Gaea, mother earth from awakening..." and then I vaguely explained why I hadn't written.

"So those tremors weren't earthquakes! They were a primordial god! I knew something wasn't adding up," Dad snapped.

"You can use magic now? You guys are extra cool," Bobby looked at me in awe.

"This is way too much.." Maria kept looking between me and Perce, but amazement was all that was on her face.

"What aren't you telling us?" Matthew scrunched his eyebrows and his eyes pierced mine.

"What do you mean?" Perce tried to laugh it off.

"Something happened between getting the giant statue of Athena and defeating Mud Face. Right?" Damn. He was extremely observant.

"Oh. I mean yeah, I guess it did slip my mind to tell you that we fell into Tartarus, but that doesn't matter," I offhandedly said, hoping they didn't know what it was.

"Wait. Tartarus? Isn't that a monster? No, it's a town in Rome?" Maria concentrated as if she was trying to remember something. "That's hell," she gasped. She must have done her research to try and understand me more. That made my heart warm.

"They couldn't have fallen in hell mom," Bob tried to reassure her. "It's not real."

"It is real. And it's scary." I could see Percy's eyes cloud slightly and his smile drop.

"Honey, why didn't you-" my dad tried.

"We're engaged!" I shouted, throwing up my left hand. Obviously seeing the change in topic, everyone took the bait.

"When did this happen?" My dad took my hand and examined the ring.

"The other day. Did it on Ellen's show too!" Percy gloated.

"You were on Ellen? Nothing should surprise me anymore," Maria laughed at herself. 

"Well I'm proud for the both of you. When is the wedding?" My dad took our dishes and went over to wash them.

"We're thinking either July or August. Just in time for the wizarding war to be over and we get a break," Percy replied.

"Sounds good. Are we.. invited?" Maria hesitantly looked at me. We have had some bad history, but I feel like we can move pass that.

"Of course! Once everything is prepared and I send out the invites, you guys will get one." I felt a knot inside of me untangle.

"I guess that means that we'll have to dress up. Ready to go through the boring process of fitting you for clothes boys?" My dad asked the twins.

"Of course!" Bobby shouted with enthusiasm.

"Only if I get to bring a book," Matt muttered.

"Oh! It's 9:00 already! I'm sorry I wasn't watching the time. You could spend the night here, if you want. For the most part, your room is the same. We've only repainted the walls from the peeling pink, if that's fine?" Maria once again nervously looked at me.

"Seaweed Brain, wanna stay?" I asked him instead.

"Sure! I'd love to." He gave my step mom a brief hug and said goodnight to everyone as did I. Then I walked upstairs, Percy in tow.

"Welcome to my mostly unchanged room," I announced. The walls were now painted a mossy green, a scene of a forest on every wall. I knew Maria was artistic, but this was breath taking.

"Annie, I'm digging your walls," Percy honestly said. I walked over to my small, twin size bed and observed my room. My closet still had clothes that would fit 7-13 year old me. I only had two things that would fit me now. My table look old and worn, old work littering it. On top sat a finished puzzle of the ocean.

"I'm glad we tried to be a family again," I said aloud.

"Seems like things are going to get better between you guys." Percy came over, kicked off his shoes, then crawled into my bed. It was a tight fit, but his strong arms told me he wouldn't let me fall.

"Yeah. Goodnight Seaweed Brain." I gave him a kiss.

"Goodnight, Wise Girl."

-Draco Pov-

It was the last four days of break and everyone wanted to go back to England. I was wary about it though. Going back would mean Death Eaters. And going back would also mean Hogwarts. My reputation is ruined now, no doubt. I might be attacked..

"Malfoy. Malfoy!" Jackson snapped his fingers in front of me.

"Sorry, what?" I didn't realise I was that zoned out.

"Hecate got us a portkey that will take us straight to the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters. We asked for permission, and you're aloud to come with us there," He explained as he dragged me by the arm towards the small group of demigods.

We gathered around a white toga, all of us grabbing onto it.

"In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" Just as Piper counted one, we were all spinning around in a circle and I grabbed on for dear life. Finally, when I felt like throwing up, our feet touched the outside of what looked like an apartment building. Severus mumbled something and a new opening appeared, revealing a new apartment thing. We walked in.

It was a grim place. Some cob webs hung around the ceiling, and the walls were slightly chipping. Severus lead the way, using his new cane for support. Although he has mostly healed, the large scar that ran through his body would easily rip open if there was too much strain.

"Ah, there you guys are. Come in, yes you too Mr. Malfoy." We were ushered into a room where people were sitting around. I saw Potter, Weasley, and Hermione. There were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mad Eye, Kingsley I believe, and two other people I didn't know.

"So shit has gone down. We already told the other demigods and we thought it ideal to tell you guys too," Percy started bluntly.

"Well what has happened then?" Oh, I remember him! He's Sirius Black!

"We have theorized that Voldemort might try to attack Hogwarts.." then Annabeth explained to them all about what had happened.

"You guys are sure about this?" Harry looked at all of us.

"Yes. Even Severus has agreed. You-Know-Who might be short tempered, but he wasn't placed in Slytherin for no reason. He's cunning, patient, and will strike like a snake when he finds the opportunity," I seriously said.

"Wait. Why are you here?" I heard someone asked. I perked my head up.

"Excuse me?" I looked around the room, my Lupa wolf glare on.

"Yeah, Malfoy. Why are you here?" Ron met my eyes and whimpered. I smirked.

"Because I'm the son of Minerva and Severus and I are the only ones who know what Voldemort is like," I growled.

"Oh." That shut him up. I looked over to his left and saw Hermione beaming at me.

"I guess that means I'll have to get a suitable Defence Against the Arts Teacher. What do you say, Remus?" I looked to see at the man Dumbledore was looking at. That was professor Lupin. I didn't recognize him because he let his hair- and facial hair- grow.

"A-Are you serious?" His face was full of hope. "Don't you already have a replacement?"

"A Fury from the underworld hardly counts as a teacher," Severus scoffed.

"And I didn't learn anything from her. She just wanted to torture me." I looked over at the son of Poseidon in confusment. What the hell? Maybe that's a different story..

"There you have it. You can start after the break is over. You can even come to Hogwarts after this meeting to get your classroom prepared," Dumbledore humbly spoke. Alright, maybe this guy wasn't as bad as my father led me to think.

"Yes! Oh boy, thank you so much Albus!" Lupin was practically jumping up and down in his seat and I couldn't help but smile.

"And another thing. Mr. Malfoy, it seems like you are no longer welcomed at home, right?" The old man looked at me with those twinkling eyes.

"Correct," I sneered.

"Severus, you wouldn't mind taking him with you, do you? He is your godson." How'd he know? Stalker..

"Why of course. Although I do ask to go back to the castle as well, seeing as it might not be safe in my house."

"That's fine. Most teachers are there getting ready for the students arrival anyways. What about you, Percy, Hazel, Annabeth, and Piper?"

"We'll go to Hogwarts right now as well to do some training. We are also going to scope out any possible places Voldemort might try to sneak in through," Hazel spoke up.

"Alright. We'll be leaving tonight, after dinner. And that concludes today's meeting."

Everyone milled out and some people left to go back home.

"So, my godfather, how are you feeling?" We sat down in the small library that was hidden downstairs.

"It still hurts to stretch too much. Hopefully when we return to the castle, I'll be able to brew something up that will heal me soon." He stiffly sat in the arm chair that faced the fireplace. He lit it while I sat in the chair next to him.

"What does it say?" He didn't even have to ask what I was talking about. He rolled up his shirt sleeve and rubbed the scarring there.

"Traitor." That's it. That one single word made me want to kill her. How unfair it was! As if those stupid Death Eaters knew what it was too be betrayed! I gripped the armrest in hope of calming my anger.

"I will destroy every last one of them. Even my own father!" How dare he betray me, his one and only child?

"It's alright Draco," Severus tried to soothe me.

"It is not alright!" I stood up and started to pace. "My own father, flesh and blood, betrayed me to that- to that monster! And I've face monsters before, believe me. But none of them are as bad as Voldemort! Ugh that stupid no nose, potato!" I screamed in frustration before falling back into my chair.

"'Stupid no nose potato'?" I could hear the grin as he repeated that back to me.

"Yeah," I humphed.

"I feel just as betrayed as you do Draco, but blandly, your father is a coward. However, we cannot change the past, so we have to keep going as it is. We shouldn't hope for others to die, Draco. We need to be careful for ourselves and hope we are the ones who don't die." We continued to sit in silence, listening to cackle of the fire.

~~~

Today was the last day of our break. Students filled the castle once more, but I kept my distance from all the Slytherins, with the exception of my cousins. Crabbe and Goyle kept sending me glares that they thought looked threatening, but really it was pathetic. They really are just bafoons.

"Yo, Malfoy, wanna join us in the Come-and-Go room? We're all just hanging out." Jackson waited for me to give an answer.

"I would love to, Jackson." Anything to get me away from all these stares.

As we walked into the room, everyone was scattered around, doing their own thing. I went towards the back of the room and starting hitting the wall.

"Uh, Draco? Are you okay?" Nico looked very concerned as he walked over to me.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm breaking the fourth wall really quickly." With one more punch, the wall cracked. In between the cracks, was a swirly void where doctor half-blood was writing this story.

"Thank you Draco, this will only take a second. Hello, Nico." Nico awkwardly waved towards the cracked wall. No one else seemed to notice.

"I had Draco break the fourth wall so I could briefly talk to you, as everyone skips the author notes. My mental health is unstable and recently I've been doing more drugs and alcohol," Doctor Half-blood sighed.

"Doctor! You shouldn't be doing that! Don't you understand how bad that is for your health?" Nico intently looked at her.

"Yes, yes I'm aware. I just want to tell you guys I'm sorry for slow updates or not great work. Please, please do not do any drugs or drink until you're at least 30. If you have an addiction or are currently doing one or the other, please find help. Please?" Doctor Half-blood got up to throw her beer cans in the recycling.

"Doctor, wait, what do I call you?" I looked over at the wall.

"I suppose Lysander will do."

"Lysander, promise me, on the river Styx, that you won't do this nonsense anymore." I stared at her eyes.

"Wow, that's smart," Nico complimented.

"Time to get back to writing! But I will promise to do my best to resist the urge. Ta ta, Draco, Nico!" Then like that, the wall repaired itself.

"In all my years, that's got to be one of the weirdest things I've seen." He stood transfixed, staring at the wall.

"Come on, Death Boy. Let's spar." I pulled out my Imperial Gold sword and pointed it at him.

"Oh you're on, Brain Baby!" Nico got his Stygian Iron sword and we started to duel.

~lots of time skips~

"Shove off, Malfoy. Half-breeds like you don't belong here," Pansy Parkinson hissed.

"And assholes like you don't belong anywhere." My grey eyes darkened and I spotted Piper at the Hufflepuff table. I came down fairly late, hoping to avoid the Slytherins, but I guess they weren't having any of it.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" I let my confidence show with my body posture. Even if I was no longer top dog in my own house, didn't mean other houses could degrade me.

"Sure thing, Dray." Piper was eating some pancakes.

"Are you sure, Pipes?" A timid, 2nd year?, asked.

"Obviously she's sure, she didn't stutter." I reached over and filled my cup with coffee, grabbing some scones while I was at it.

"Dray, play nice," Piper playfully hit me.

"No. My ego and pride has been damaged, let me be in a mood," I spoke in Latin.

"These guys are really loyal. Just get to know them and forget what your family or old friends said about different houses," Piper replied in Greek. It took me a little while to process her words, but it clicked. I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, this is my 5th year, and I'm a half-blood. Who are you?" I lazily cocked an eyebrow, looking at the kid who sat next to me.

"Um, I am Dayanna and I'm a 3rd year. Also half-blood." I looked her up and down. Her yellow and black tie was neatly done, uniform in good condition, and her hair was in two buns.

"Pleasure. Looks like I might be seeing you around, but I've got to get going. I have Defence Against the Dark Arts in 5 minutes. See you, Dayanna, Piper." As I stood up to leave, the daughter of Aphrodite grabbed my sleeve. I quickly yanked it out and looked at her with slight annoyance.

"Is that all you're going to have? Coffee and two scones?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I've got to get going, I'll eat later," I lied. I hurriedly walked away, dusting off my robes.

"Draco!" An unfamiliar voice called to me. I turned around, wand at the ready. I was pointing it at a girl who was slightly shorter than I, maybe 5'5. She had the Slytherin insignia on her robes with the silver tie.

"Who are you?" I kept my wand in front of me, unsure if she was going to attack or not.

"Put your weapon down! It's me- Makayla. I made the Potter Stinks badges for you, remember?" She slowly approached me and the gears in my head turned. I knew those hazel eyes with pepper blonde hair looked familiar.

"Here to mock me for not being a pureblood?" I slightly lowered my wand, but still kept it pointed at the girl who stood a foot in front of me.

"Don't be ridiculous, you know I don't care how pure your blood is," she laughed. "We're going to be late to class. You of all people should know that not all Slytherins are bad." Then she waltzed by me, towards the direction of class.

"Hello class! It's good to see you all again!" Professor Lupin greeted as the bell rang.

"We're surrounded by half-breeds," Goyle snarled. I clenched my first, trying to ignore the sound of blood in my ears.

"The last time I was here, we were starting on the Patronus charm. It can keep away negative energy and shine light, like on Dementors, but they can also send messages. Harry can do a full corporeal patronus, which is a Stag. All you have to do is think about the happiest memory you have then move your wand like this. The spell is Expecto Patronum. I don't expect you all to get it by today, but I do hope by the end of the week, at least half of you can do it."

Happiest memory? That's going to be hard. Okay let's list some happy memories.  
•Mum teaching me how to ride a broomstick  
•Mum taking me into Diagon Alley for the first time  
•Slaying my first monster, a manticore  
•Severus taking me to Camp Jupiter for the first time  
•Completing a complicated potion

I looked up from my thoughts and saw Hermione cheering. A silver white otter swam around her and I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.

"What's wrong Malfoy, can't get it?" Makayla walked over to me, a bit of sweat on her brow.

"No. You?" I looked around the room to see others struggling, which made me feel much better.

"Nope. I just can't really think of a happy enough memory, you know? Hey Potter, come here!" She called. I inwardly face palmed.

"Yes?" He looked apprehensive, as if she might make fun of him.

"This is hard. I'm not giving up, but what kinda memory do you use?" Harry seemed to light up at this.

"It changes every once in a while because new things happen to me. I wouldn't say pick your happiest memory, just pick one that makes you feel the most safest, the most loved." He looked over at me, smiled, then walked off towards the werewolf. Er, Lupin.

"Most safest? Most loved?" Kayla scrunched her eyebrows in concentration. "Expecto Patronum!" From her wand came out a silver snake. But as quickly as it came out, it went back in. "Did you see that? What was it?" Hey eyes grew as she looked at me for answers.

"It looked like a snake." Her eyes seemed to grow bigger.

"A snake? Awesome! Now you give it a go Draco!" She nodded at me encouragingly.

"Oh alright." I thought of one specific memory. Voldemort found out I helped Hermione when the monsters attacked all that while ago. He started to torture me until Snape stepped in.

"I'm sorry that happened Draco." He laid me down on my bed. "Just know that no matter what he does to you, you'll never be like him. Don't bear this curse like I do." Severus then pulled out a warm looking vial. "This will heal you. I know we don't have the best relationship, but I love you." He then fed me the vial and a warm feeling spread throughout my blood, everywhere in me, and my heart felt secured.

"Expecto Patronum!" Using that feeling, I shot my wand forward and I felt the wind around me pick up. What came out of my wand wasn't what I expected. It was a grizzly bear.

"Great job, Malfoy! It seems like we have powerful wizards this year! You're the fifth person in the class to get it. 5 points to Slytherin!" I felt pride swell up in me. 

"Nice Draco!" Percy came over and patted me on the back.

"Did you get to see yours?" I all but forgot about the bad mood I was in earlier this morning.

"Yup. I got a wicked Great White and Annie got an owl of some sorts. Hazel got a leopard and she's currently helping out Nico. He's got the gist of it but he's frustrated." 

"Oh me too! I'm gonna go help him!" Micky then ran away towards the moping son of Hades.

"Who's that?" Perce laughed.

"A new friend, I think. Hey, Percy, if Voldemort tries to lure you out somehow, don't take the bait. He wants you more than he wants Harry, I know that for sure. So just, lay low," I warned.

"I'll try, but you know me. Trouble finds me, even if I'm hiding from it." Percy shot me a lopsided smile before going with his girlfriend. Or fiancé, I guess.

~~~

"Today we will be brewing the Draught of Peace which calms anxiety and soothes agitation. I will be sending these potions to the nurse if they are acceptable. This is a pass or fail assignment. Instructions are on the board, and you know where the ingredients are." Once he stopped talking, everyone got up to get their stuff, not wanting to fail.

"I'll go get the stuff. Can you start crushing the beans please? Thank you." Nico got up and headed towards the crowd of students. I quickly crushed the nine beans and put the liquid a vial.

I looked up and stared at my guardian until he looked up from his paperwork. He let me penetrate his mind and I saw that someone from the Order gave him a piece of paper. On it said: Severus Snape. Half-blood. Wanted dead or alive. 500 gallons if alive, 250 if dead. On the bottom had a name signed in cursive, which was Voldemort's.

"Draco? You fine?" Nico sat down and started the add ingredients to the pot.

"Fine. Let's get this done." Thankfully he couldn't ask further because the potion we were brewing demanded our full attention.

"Time is up. Bring your potions to me and I will deem it passable or a failure," our professor drawled.

Once again Nico volunteered to go up and he handed in our potion. It was obviously passable. More than two thirds of the class passed, which I could tell he was very pleased about.

"Class dismissed," Snape waved his hand and everyone scattered to get their stuff and leave.

"Ms. Granger, what does a know-it-all like you want? Perhaps more class work for your big head?" He asked. The remaining Slytherins laughed before exiting the classroom. Now it was us three.

"What you doing, 'Mione?" I approached the two, my bag slung over my shoulder.

"I'm just giving Severus my own Draught of Peace. I've noticed you've been really anxious and you didn't get up at all during class, so I figure you're still in pain," she handed him a vial.

"But you already gave me one?" He questioned, looking at the vials in front of him.

"I made two. This one's especially for you. Now are you going to tell us what's wrong?" Hermione sassily put her hands on her hips and looked at our professor.

"Alright. Come on, it's lunch so we shouldn't be bothered for the next 45 minutes." He used his cane to get up and go out of the classroom. We strolled down deeper into the dungeons where we were met with a painting of Hades munching on souls.

"Lily Evans," he whispered so quitely that Hermione couldn't hear, but I already knew it since, well, I have ways.

"This is your personal chambers? Much different than I thought." Hermione did a slow 360, taking everything in. He had two bookshelves full off books along with detailed paintings hanging around his common room. The fire was going in his pit. A couch was fairly close to the warmth, it also had some blankets. Then there was a reclining chair that had a book on it. The walls were colored with a pattern of emerald green and grey.

"And how did you think my chambers were?" He went to sit on the couch and I took the liberty to sit on the recliner, which left the Gryffindor next to the potions whizz.

"Thought you would have bats with black walls and torture devices," she joked.

"You mean my bedroom?" I couldn't help but laugh at the blush that graced the daughter of Athena's face.

"This isn't a sex dungeon. It's actually really comfortable in here." I patted the chair I was in. 

"Do you guys want some food? I know we're missing out on lunch," said Severus after the laughter died down.

"I can cook up a quick meal," I quickly offered. "I already know what's wrong, so you can tell her while I make us something. Sound good? Great." Before anyone could say anything, I slipped inside his kitchen. Now for sure I knew that Severus saw Hermione as a friend. That was good, he needed the company. Old, stubborn bat, he was.

I looked in the cabinets and saw a can of soup. Soup was good since it was fairly cold down here.

"I made us some chicken noodle soup!" I shouted as I walked in with two bowls balanced on one arm, the other in my hand.

"Thanks, Draco." They carefully grabbed their food and set it on the table. 

Once we were done eating, I noticed that we had 18 minutes until our next class. "So, what do you guys want to do?" I tried to get rid of the silence.

"Have a three way." Hermione looked me dead in the eyes and she seemed serious.

"A-a what? Three way? What the fuck!" I got up and moved backwards, my arms outstretched in front of me. Then I heard a deep chuckle with a high giggle.

"I told you he would flip!" Hermione chirped.

"Indeed." Severus looked at her with an unreadable expression Was that, admiration?

"Hey, Snape, what's your patronus." I knew what it was but I was testing a theory.

"Um, well it was a doe. But it's changed." He cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

"What? You can change your patronus?" This caught the nerds attention and she turned to face our friend.

"Well you can't exactly change it. It changes if something very traumatic happened that changed your life," he spoke in his teachers voice.

"Or when you fall in love with someone. What was Lily Evans patronus? Oh right, a doe! That was yours and now it changed. To what may I ask?" I knew I was pushing my luck, but at the moment I didn't care. I saw the way Hermione rolled her eyes when I mentioned Lily..

"And why, Draco, would that concern you?" He narrowed his eyes, knowing the game I was trying to play.

"He was able to produce a corporeal patronus!" Hermione praised, oblivious to the meaning behind the conversation.

"Indeed. I have a grizzly bear and she has an otter. Cool, right?" I decided to drop the game because I didn't want to get hexed.

"I suppose. Well you guys should be heading off. Goodbye." And that was our dismissal.

"He's actually not all that bad." Then she blushed and added, "Neither are you though."

"Obviously I'm not. I'm the Slytherin Prince." My gaze fell. "Well, I was. I'm an outsider now. In my own house!" I ran my hand through my fluffy hair. I'm glad I stopped slicking my hair back.

"It's alright Draco. Are you going to go to Care of Magical Creatures?" We stood in-between the Slytherin dorms and the Great Hall.

"No. I'm going to try and fix my thoughts. Have fun though." We waved goodbye to each other before going our separate ways.

The castle was nice enough to make an extra bed on the floor for the demigods, so Nico and I shared a room. My things were already on my four poster bed.

Was this how people felt after I bullied them? I sighed and moved my trunk to the foot of the bed, arranging my things around. I seriously needed to clean up my act. Was this how I wanted to be remember? A git?

I finished moving everything then flopped down on my bed. That's when I noticed a letter. I opened the Malfoy seal, not sure what I was expecting. I pulled out the piece of parchment and read the letter at least twice.

'Dear Draco,

     Honey, I don't know what to tell you. I didn't know about all this demigod nonsense. I remember giving birth to you, pushing you out of my, you know. I have so many questions but I know they aren't going to be answered until after this war. I know you are my child. I did a blood test when you were born, just to make sure Lucius was father. You have to be blessed or a decedent or something.  
     I don't know where you spent the rest of break, but I hope you are safe. I asked Severus to take care off you, but he said not to worry about it, so I have hope. No matter what, I'm still here for you. You're my baby boy and I love you so, so much honey. Please be safe. I don't know what will become of Lucius, but I can promise you can come back home when this is over. If the house is still here, that it.  
     I want to hear from you, but I know it's dangerous. I will try to update you about You-Know-Who's plans, but no promises. Right now he is very angry and has a whole floor dedicated to those monsters. There are even huge giants outside. Be safe Dray.

         With love,

Mum'

I couldn't help but tear up a little. At least my mum was here for me. I set the letter on my table before turning around and falling asleep.

\------  
A/N: Sorry about the fourth wall break. It's just an update on why I might not be updating or if the content isn't great. And I am a big Hermione x Snape person as well as Hermione x Harry so sorry. But I did think it was about time Snape got over Lily and so his patronus changed. I'm not sure to what yet. Maybe a bat?

QotD:  
What country would you want to live in?

Answer:  
Either Canada or the United Kingdom.


	19. Happy Hogwarts Birthday

-Nico Pov-

It was January 8th. So far nothing has happened. Well nothing involving Voldemort. But the Slytherins have been real jackasses.

"Move you stupid half-breed!" Pansy Parkinson snapped from behind me. I turned around and I accidentally made the room colder by making the shadows grow longer.

"Listen here, Parkinson," I backed her into a wall, "if you call me that one more time, even if you whisper it, I will personally take you to the underworld myself." I kept my glare steady, telling her I wasn't joking.

"W-what ever." She hurriedly ran out of the portrait hole. I rubbed my temples. Gods these guys were giving me almost nonstop migraines! Sure, you didn't have to like me, but that doesn't mean you have to taunt me at every chance you have. Honestly.

I trudged up the stairs and laid on my bed. What was even the point of learning magic? Sure it was cool, but when would I ever use it? I felt oddly homesick. Although it was fun being here, I did miss sitting at the ocean to think about things. I missed training with Clarisse. I missed Will.

"Go to sleep, Nico. Tomorrow you have to help Percy with that thing," I reminded myself aloud. I stripped down to my boxers and laid in bed, counting souls. Slowly, my eyes felt heavier with each number, and I feel asleep.

~~~

"Shh, come on!" Hermione hushed us as we made our way further in the dungeons.

"I feel suffocated down here," Percy complained.

"Stay here. I'll go in and put some charms so he doesn't hear us." Draco took out his wand and spoke the password to a painting of my father eating dead people. Fascinating.

"Leo, Piper, do you mind making the cake? We've got about an hour until he wakes. That's good right?" Annabeth looked at the two.

"One amazing supersized cake by the Hot McShizzle and the Beauty Queen. No problem!" I shook my head at the Latino.

"Alright, come in. I've put on the silencing charms. And if he wakes earlier than we anticipated, I'll know." We went inside and looked around the room.

"There are a lot of riches down here, I guess I don't have to do much work," Hazel giggled.

"So all we're doing is decorating, right?" Ron looked around, eyes as big as saucers, trying to take in everything.

"Yeah, that's what you, Hermione, and Harry are doing. Nico and I on the other hand are going to go get Dumbledore. Annabeth, Draco you guys are in charge." Percy kissed his girlfriend before dragging me out.

"Uh,why are we getting Dumbledore?" I was confused. We didn't need him, did we?

"We need him so we can celebrate Severus's birthday!" Percy looked at me as if that obvious.

"I'm not sure you are aware of this, but it's freaking 5 in the morning! Don't you think he'll be sleeping?"

"Probably. But it's not everyday that a demigod gets to celebrate their birthday. Plus, Voldemort could attack at anytime. Gotta have fun while we still can, right?" He slowed his pace and a wistful smile formed on his face.

"I suppose." We walked the halls until we finally reached the gargoyle leading to the Headmasters room.

"Do you know the password?" Percy looked at me.

"What? I thought you knew it! You dragged me up here in the first place," I rolled my eyes. He did have his dense moments. 

"I guess we'll have to keep guessing until it opens." Perce looked deep in thought. "Chocolate Frogs!"

"My turn. Oatmeal." 

"Oatmeal? Come on Ghost Boy, get serious. Butterbeer!" And he told me to get serious? I shook my head.

"Firewhisky?"

15 minutes passed and we still stood outside, stumped.

"We'll try one more time. Then I give up!" The son of Poseidon crossed his arms in frustration.

"Albus Dumbledore is the coolest person alive." The gargoyle blinked at us, but didn't move.

"I guess this will decide it or not." I thought about what I knew about the old wizard. He was creative and made things seem harder than they really were... "Not Voldemort?" A door appeared with a staircase.

"Oh, come on! You've got to be kidding me!" Percy huffed in irritation before preceding up the stairs.

"Dumbledore?" I called out. A bunch of paintings stared at us.

"Nico? Percy? This is an unforeseen visit," he admitted.

"Well it's Snapes birthday today and I wanted you to join us in the celebration." Kelp Head still had a pout on his face.

"At-" he turned to look at his watch- "5:45 in the morning?" Shit! We only had 15 minutes until the professor woke up.

"Yes. Since we have classes today, we wanted to celebrate it right now. We've got to get going, are you going to join us?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He got up from his chair and followed us down to the dungeons. Why was he even awake at this hour? Did he sleep? What if he slept with his eyes open? That's cool, but creepy.

Once we reached my older brothers chambers, Percy did a complicated knock and an annoyed Annabeth opened the door.

"We got the cake finished! Although I did burn the kitchen a little," Leo blushed. He had frosting in his hair, on his face, and on Piper's face.

"Those two had the great idea to start playing with frosting!" Draco shook his head. "To make up for his practically destroyed kitchen, I made him breakfast."

"You didn't even tell them about the cake. Bring the cake out," Hermione huffed. They rolled the cake in, and yes I mean rolled.

The cake was about 5 feet tall, and 3 feet wide. Green and black frosting decorated the the sides. On top in pink read, "You haven't died yet!"

"You have out done yourselves," Dumbledore complimented.

"That's not even the worse part," Ron moaned.

Leo pulled out a remote from his toolbelt and pressed a bottom. The top of the cake opened up, leaving room inside for a person. "And if you press this button it will-"

"He's waking up! Hide," Draco hissed. We turned off the lights and dove into different hiding spots.

"Great, I've got first years today," Severus complained. He walked into the room, and with a wave of his wand, the lights turned on. He didn't see us, but he noticed the abnormally large cake. "What the bloody hell?" Before any of us could say anything, Dumbledore jumped out of the cake. When did he get in there?

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  
Happy Hogwarts birthday!  
Magic wizard birthday!  
Fun wizard happy birthday  
Fun fun fun fun  
Magic flavour birthday cake!  
Wizard wishes you will make!  
Happy birthday dance with everyone!  
2 3 4  
Birthday magic wand!" The old wizard sang.

"Party happy birthday!" We sang back. How did we know the lyrics?

"Wizard party school!" He continued.

"Magic magic wizard magic party!" Seriously, how did we know this?

"Gryffindor!" When did Albus get a party hat on?

"Party more!" When did we get party hats??

"Hufflepuff!" 

"Wizard stuff!" Piper shouted.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Hell naw!" Leo shook his head. But he is in Ravenclaw..?

"Pretty sure that’s everybody!  
Happy Hogwarts birthday!  
Wizard school party!  
Children eating cake inside their mouths  
Hogwarts lesson #1  
Never not be having fun!  
Children eating cake inside their mouths!" He finished singing. 

"Uh, what?" Snape stood just as dumfounded as we felt.

"Happy Birthday!" I was the first to come out of my shock. Leo then pressed a button on his remote and sparklers popped out with streamers and confitee.

"I don't celebrate such unnecessary things." He walked over to his recliner and sat down.

"Nonsense Severus! These kids have been awake since five to do this for you. Mr. Malfoy even made you breakfast." Dumbledore climbed out of the cake as if nothing happened.

"I didn't ask them to," he snarked.

"Enjoy it while you can!" Percy yelled.

"Yeah! We thought you would like this, seeing as you spend most of your birthdays down here, alone. Eat some cake," Hermione pleaded. After a stare down, he finally gave in.

"Fine." We cheered as we got some cake.

"How old are you turning, professor?" Harry asked. Hazel volunteered to take the dishes and Piper went to go help.

"None of your business, Potter." He closed his robes tighter around him. He was insecure about his age.

"Severus, my dear brother, it doesn't matter how old you are. I'll still be older no matter what," I tried to assure him. Ron gave me a weird look. He tended to do that whenever we said anything odd, which was most of the time.

"I'm currently turning 32," he grumbled and used his hair to curtain his face.

"That's not old," Draco commented.

"Especially if you compare it to me, my boy." Dumbledore smiled but wouldn't release his age to us.

"This was actually rather pleasant, so thank you all for the company. Now you should be going to class. Albus, if I may?" We said our goodbyes and left to two wizards to talk.

"Ready to go to Ancient Runes?" Hazel asked as we made our way up the castle. 

"Not at all."

~~~

Hazel, Draco, Percy, Annabeth, and I were walking towards the Great Hall for lunch when we were confronted.

"Oh good, you have your friends with you. Now we can kill you right here and now!" A 7th year Slytherin took out his wand and pointed it at as. Behind him were Grabbe, Goyle, and Pansy as well as a Ravenclaw student.

"You can try, but I don't think that's legal." Percy casually wrapped his arm around his girl, not looking at all bothered by what was happening around him.

"Shut it you filthy half-breed, did I say you could talk?" Pansy snarled. Draco stepped forward, but I stopped him.

"I told you to never call us that again." The shadows clung to me as I slowly made my way to their little group.

"Or what, you'd send us to the underworld?" She mocked.

"Exactly," I growled. The 7th year tried to shoot a spell at me, but I deflected it with my sword. The two brutes tried to rush me, but all it took was a swipe to the feet and they fell. Parkinson, now terrified, tried to run, but I reached her arm in time.

"Now you've done," Hazel tisked.

I grabbed Grabbe and Goyle by the hoods of their robes, the girl by the arm, and the older Slytherin by the hair. "I'm going to take a quick trip, I'll be back."

I shadow travelled into the underworld, by my dad's palace. No way was I going to let anything harm the wizards, I was just here to give them a scare.

"Do you want to attack me now, in my home turf?" I spread out my arms and put on a mocking face.

"S-Stupe- ah!" Everyone cowered in fear and I smiled. At least now they would stop bullying us. And if Voldemort tried to get them to scheme against us, well they would remember this moment.

"Alright, let's go back." As I walked over to them, someone grabbed my shoulder.

"Going so soon? You just got here." My father turned me around so I was face-to-face with him.

"Oh, uh, hello Father." Shit, that's why the wizards were scared. I glanced back and I saw them staring wide eyed.

"My son, are these mortals causing you any trouble?" He pulled out a pitchfork and for a second his form flickered, revealing what a cartoon Satan would look like. That's probably what they saw him as.

"Oh no. I was just teaching them a lesson... about the underworld," I half lied.

"Alright. I know today's my son's birthday. Do you mind bringing this to him?" Hades handed me a gift wrapped box.

"No problem. Thanks Dad." I gave him a hug before he disappeared. "Ready to go back?" I asked the wizards. They all nodded their heads. I walked over to them and they clung onto me. We appeared out of our table, earning yelps from everyone around us.

"How did it go?" Draco laughed as he saw the shooken up kids. 

"Dad paid me a visit. Think they might be scarred for life." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from my mouth.

"Nico! Oh those poor kids, I might have to erase their memories of that," Hazel shook her head in concern.

"Hazel! You have to admit that that's pretty funny. Plus, they deserve it. It's not like they were physically hurt, right?" Dray asked.

"Nope. Everything's fine. Now I gotta give this gift to my brother, see you around." I waved as I walked away towards the forbidden forest.

I didn't even need to look for him. A trail of golden dust that hadn't been blown away yet showed me his location.

"Well well, you've been busy," I commented as he finished off a gorgon. 

"I just wanted some potion ingredients," he laughed.

"You could have asked one of us to get it. It's your birthday, you're supposed to be relaxing," I chided.

"Hmm yes, but Tom doesn't rest. I am making extra healing potions and the sorts. You can never be too careful." He patted the dirt off of his cloak.

"At least let me help you make potions after dinner, okay?" I did fairly well in his class, so a helping hand wouldn't hurt.

"Fine. Might as well bring Draco and Hermione. We were going to go to muggle London, but this is more important." We started our walk back to the castle.

"This can wait one more day. How about you three go out and celebrate while I sneak into your chambers to at least start the potions?" I offered. That sounded like a good deal.

"You're stubborn."

"I blame Dad." Oh! Speaking of him. "Here Dad gave this to me to give to you." I handed him the box.

"Did you go to the underworld?" He gave me a knowing look but I guess he still wanted to hear my story.

"Well it was because-"

~~~

"Alright, I'll be off. I left you a set of directions on top of the table in the common room. I'll be back before midnight." He fixed his tie then looked around. We were outside of the gates waiting for the two children of Athena.

"Wait. What's your password?" 

"Kodikós prósvasis," he rolled his eyes.

"Nice." I began to laugh. His password was password in Greek. So original.

"Go away, here they come," he scowled at me.

"Alright, alright. Have fun, birthday boy." I gave him a wink before dissolving into the shadows.

-Hermione Pov-

"Why did I have to come again? I have a lot of studying to do!" I complained as I was being dragged down the stairs.

"Because Severus likes my company and I like your company so you guys should like each other's company," Draco tried to reason.

"I already like his company! And I think he doesn't mind mine. At least he doesn't call me a know-it-all anymore." I tucked a loose stand of my hair behind my ear and tried to flatten my dress. 

"He is merely intrigued by your intelligence. I bet you a sickle he would have praised you at least once in class if you weren't in Gryffindor and friends with Harry." He offered me his arm once we went outside.

"You believe he thinks I'm smart? And not just an insufferable... mudblood," I quietly whispered, tears threatening to fall.

"Hermione, you are not a mudblood. You're a daughter of Athena, and that's something to be proud about. Just ask him about his opinions on you, okay darling?" He tilted my chin so I could look at him. His expression seemed genuine, so I smiled.

"Would you rather apporate or shadow travel?" Severus had on black slacks with a grey dress shirt, adorned by a black tie.

"I wouldn't mind shadow traveling," I quickly answered. Sure, it scared me out of my wits, but it was just so thrilling.

"If she's fine with it, I don't mind." Draco dusted off imaginary dirt on his fancy button up shirt.

"Hold on." I grabbed his right arm, Draco his left. Instead of running into something like Nico usually does, we dissolved into the ground, as if we were a melting icecube.

The darkness seemed to hug us as we walked along. The ground seemed to shake slightly and the zombies just stared at us as we continued forward, a different experience than what I've had with the other son of the underworld. In a few seconds, brightness took over and I had to blink a few times before I could focus.

"Well that was different," I breathed out.

"I'm practiced with it, so I don't need to run around to get more energy, unless I have to." Draco came next to me and elbowed me with a smirk. I looked at him and he gestured towards my arm. With a red face, I removed my hand from Snape's arm, hoping he didn't noticed I lingered.

"Where to, Zombie Man?" Dray mocked.

"If you haven't noticed, we're with muggles now," Severus hissed. We walked down a busy street and my eyes lit up in recognition.

"We're in London! How swell." I did a quick 360 to survey my surroundings. It was nice out tonight, not terribly cold, and it was brightly lit. 

"Still didn't answer my question though," my half-brother grumbled. We walked about a block then stopped at a well hidden coffee shop. We went inside and the atmosphere felt comfortable. The walls were painted like a snow wonderland, probably for the season. It was mostly empty while soft music played in the background.

"I got dressed up for this?" Draco very childishly asked as we sat a back table.

"As if that counts as dressing up, Malfoy." Snape gestured at his outfit.

"Touché." I laughed. I wish I knew these guys like this before. They are smart, quick witted, and have quite the tongue.

"After this we're going to a theatre. There's this old muggle movie playing that I saw once as a child. I snuck out with Lily.." a far away look graced his face before he winced as if remembering something awful.

"What's a theatre though?" Draco quipped.

"A place to watch movies. Movies like moving pictures. Ugh no, not like regular pictures we see in the paper. They take about an hour and it's kind of like a play," I tried to explain at his confused expression.

"I guess I'll find out." He shrugged.

"Are you guys going to get anything?" Severus asked us after looking at the menu.

"I think I'll have some tea with a couple of scones, I am pretty full from dinner." I set the menu down.

"I'm going to get a strong coffee, what about you? I'll pay for you birthday boy."

"Do you even have muggle money?" A bemused look played on his lips.

"Of course I have bloody muggle money." He took out a baggie from his pocket and started rummaging through it.

"Well?" I looked over and saw gallons, sickles, and nots.

"I don't have any muggle money," he admitted in defeat.

"Thought so. I'm going to get a tea as well with a crumpet. I did eat a good amount of dinner." He set the menu aside and was about to get up, but I beat him to it.

"Two teas, scones, a crumpet, and a strong coffee. Got it!" I practically skipped over to the register.

"Hello, what can I get you?" The nice cashier asked.

"I'll have two green teas, scones, a crumpet, and the strongest coffee you have, please," I listed with a smile.

"No problem. That will be 10 pounds. It'll be there soon, thank you," she handed the order to the man next to her.

"No, thank you, Viviana," I read off her name tag. We shared one more smile before I went off to my table.

"You know I have money, let me at least pay you back." Severus reached for his wallet.

"No no, it's your birthday. But Draco can pay me back," I cheekily smiled at the blonde.

"Whatever, it's not like I know what to do with this money anyways." He handed me 5 gallons with 7 sickles. I put them in my purse.

"Thank you my good man," I stuck out my tongue playfully.

"What's your opinion on Hermione?" He suddenly spoke. Oh that blonde git!

"I hardly see how that concerns you," the older man drawled.

"She was curious but didn't want to ask." He sat back in his chair and examined his nails.

"Oh? Miss Granger is what Mr. Malfoy saying true? There's no reason you would want my opinion, I'm just the greasy dungeon bat," a sorrowful expression crossed his face.

"See what you've done! Severus, I do care about what you think of me, we're friends right? For example, I think you are one of the most intelligent people I have met. The way you know about potions almost seems like you know how to improve them, how to counter it's effects. Yes, you do tend to be nasty at times, but I don't blame you. Also, you have amazing tastes in books and music- yes I am a fan of classical. We may not be close like Harry and I are, but we're still friends, you bat," I playfully quirked. 

"Here you guys go. Enjoy." Our order was spread out in front of us before anyone could answer.

"Are you eating well?" I looked over at Draco.

"I eat. If that counts?" He shrugged and went back to drinking his coffee.

"You do look gaunt. Draco, are you sick?" We both seemed to study him until he got uncomfortable.

"I'm fine! I have been training and studying too much that eating just slips my mind once in a while," he whimpered.

"We didn't mean to attack you like that. Let's make a deal. I'll train with you as long as I see you eat at least breakfast and dinner. Sound good?" I offered my hand.

"More like I'll be training you, but I suppose that wouldn't hurt." He took my hand and shook it.

"I knew you two were similar. I was going to seat you next to each other and see where that went.. but alas, you're related." The information went through my head and my face heated up. Me and Malfoy? Maybe in a different story.

"But now there are other valid options. Like Potter, Longbottom. Ginny? Maybe Luna? Or, I don't know, a certain professor." Draco wiggled his eyebrows and I knew what he was implying, but I would not fall into his trap.

"Ginny would be interesting. She's good at Quidditch, I wonder how good she'd be in bed with all that stamina. And there is always Harry. I love him to bits. But sometimes when I'm staring at him, I already catch you staring," I challenged. We glared at each other, neither of us wanting to back down.

"Alright children, we should get going. The movie isn't far from here." Severus snapped us out of our mini fight.

"Alright, alright. I'm going," Dray begrudgingly got up and followed us outside.

"Which film are we going to be watching tonight?" I matched my pace with his, Malfoy being on the other side, bothered by my last comment.

"I will admit that it is a guilty pleasure of mine, the few times I've been able to see these movies. You two have to promise to not tell anyone I like Disney movies," he slightly pleaded.

"I won't tell anyone but the readers," I muttered.

"Did you say something?" Snape looked down at me.

"I said so do I! Now I'm even more excited for this." We peacefully made our way around the mortals, thankfully no sign of danger so far.

The son of Hades walked up to the ticket booth and bought three tickets. Then we walked straight into the theater, him in the middle.

"I'm going to go to the loo. I'll be back, don't miss me too much," Draco winked at me before walking out.

"How do you stand him?" I giggled.

"I was friends with his father, whose much worse. I guess it doesn't phase me anymore." He started drum his fingers on his leg. I almost forgot that he also had slight ADHD.

"So. What is your opinion about me?" I pushed out before my courage left me.

"Hmm," it took him a moment to gather his thoughts, "you are interesting. At first, I thought you wanted the attention for being the smartest student, but I soon realized you didn't care about that. Then I thought you were simply a parakeet, memorizing information and spewing it out. But after you solved my puzzle in your first year, my opinion did start to change. You are almost as talented as I was in potions. Almost. I made my own recipes to some potions," his fingers stilled as he talked.

"Really? I would like to read it." Sure potions wasn't my favourite subject, but they were fascinating and needed passing NEWTS for most good jobs.

"I bet you would." But there was no malice or snark in his tone, just amusement.

"I kept walking into the wrong ones," Dray laughed at himself as he sat on the other side of Snape.

"Wrong restrooms? Yes, how embarrassing indeed," he teased.

"Wrong movie, you old bat," Malfoy playfully hit him.

"Wait! The movies starting!" I hushed. The Disney logo went on and I awaited to see what movie it was. And much to my delight, it was Cinderella.

~~~

"That was magnificent! The way he finds her in the end through hard work and perseverance! I loved it," I gushed wholeheartedly.

"Yes it was a well written film." Severus nodded his head.

"That was surprisingly not bad. You think I could sweep girls off their feet by being a good dancer?" Draco seemed to think about it.

"Sure. You can get any girl with your gorgeous face," I boosted his ego. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Severus gently touch his face with a grimace. "And you, Professor Snape, can get any girl with your wit and charm." He seemed to brighten up at that.

"I'll be apporating us to the school gates, and you two go straight to bed, you understand? I still have some unfinished business with my brother." He led us towards an alleyway.

"I'll go to my common room. But no promises about going to bed, I've got some reading to catch up on," I spit out before I clamped my eyes shut. There was a tugging feeling and my body felt tingly as we landed in front of the Hogwarts gates.

"I'll be going to bed. Got to get my beauty sleep, don't I?" 

"Whatever you say, Malfoy." I rolled my eyes.

"Be gone, both of you. I'll see you for training tomorrow." Saturday's and Sunday's were when the demigods got together in the Room of Requirements to train with each other.

"Alright. Goodnight Severus," I called before taking a right. "Goodnight Draco." 

"Goodnight Hermione," their voices echoed. I smiled and walked over to Gryffindor tower, speaking the password, and entering the common room.

"And where were you young lady?" Ron scolded once I sat down.

"Out. Don't worry I had protection," I promised Harry and Ron.

"We checked everywhere, even the Forbidden Forest!" Harry exclaimed.

"Did you check the library?" A lie was forming in my mind.

"First place we checked," Ron confidently answered.

"Did you check the restricted section?" Bingo! They'd never check there. And I'm never saying bingo again.

"W-well no," Ron admitted.

"I was trying to find books about secret passages and I was also reading books about the schools defenses. I'll admit, I didn't find anything." Which was true. Because I didn't look, but they don't need to know that.

"And you didn't invite us?" Harry mockingly looked hurt and whatever tense energy there was, went away.

"Oh please, like you guys would willingly look through stacks of books."

"You're right. Well now that we know you're safe, I'm going to bed. Goodnight 'Mione, Harry." We said our goodnights and watched as Ron went up the stairs to the boys dormitory.

"You guys really waited for me?" I self consciously rubbed my naked arms.

"Of course! We had no idea where you went. If you weren't back by midnight, we were going to go looking for you again. So where were you, really? I know you weren't in the library with a dress on." He shot me a smug smile.

"I was out in London with Snape and Malfoy," I gave in.

"How was that?" He came over and sat next to me in front of the fire.

"It was swell actually. Those two Slytherins aren't as bad as they make out to be." I laid my head on Harry's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me.

"I know we are allies and all now, but that doesn't mean it'll be all rainbows with them. I'm still suspicious, even if Snape isn't working with Voldemort anymore," Harry revealed.

"That's fine. It'll take time, I suppose." And we both sat there in silence, watching the embers burn.

~~~

"Alright. Today we're just going to spar against each other and give feedback for the first two hours. For the last hour we're going to practice our magic. Questions?" Percy looked around the room.

"Can we go all out?" Nico grinned.

"Death Breathe, he said we're sparring for two hours. Can you go all out for that about of time?" Annabeth gave him a teasing look.

"Well I have to build up my stamina, don't I? What other way to do it then going all out?" He rose his hands in front of him like he was being attacked.

"I like that idea! Go all out guys. Magic, powers, whatever you wish." Percy then waved his hand and we were dismissed from his speech.

I started to walk over to Piper, she was patient and more than happy to help, but a tall, muscular body stepped in front of me.

"Want to duel?" Severus was wearing a black t shirt that showed off his chiseled arms and long shorts. In his right hand was his sword and in his left his wand.

"Alright." I held my dagger in my right hand and my wand in my left. It felt odd and uncomfortable.

We were face to face with each other before we turned around and took five steps. On the fifth one, we turned. 

"Stupey!" I pointed my wand at him and the spell kind of went in the direction. Wow, I really needed to practice with my non dominant hand.

"Looks like I have experience in my favor." With a flick of his wand, a silent spell came in my direction.

"Protego!" A shield came around me in time. Great. He wasn't only great at wand work, he was also good at silent spells!

I placed my wand in my pocket before rushing him. He casted two more silent spells, one I dodged, the other I deflected.

Once I reached him, I slapped his wand out of his hand. Maybe this way I could at least have some sort of a chance. He rose his dark blade and it came down towards me. I rolled backwards in time for the tip to reach centimetres away from my face.

Wasting no time, I jumped up and lunged, trying to scratch his chest. But he parried. It was going to be impossible to beat him, and he wasn't even trying very hard.

"Accio weapon!" I managed to get my wand and yell. From off the walls, another flew towards me. I pocketed my wand and had a dagger in each hand.

"Good idea Ms. Granger. Now, can you use them?" He mocked.

"I guess we'll have to find out."

I rushed him again. My left arm reached out to attack his sword while my right slithered to his side. I was able to nick him before he pushed me back with the flat of his sword.

We continued for at least five minutes. I was going all out, but I could tell he wasn't trying very hard. Before I knew it, my frustration got the better of me and I was pinned on the floor. 

I was laying spread eagle with Severus in-between my legs. As he was bringing his sword down to announce his win, my two blades met his hilt. I then twisted, throwing his sword away from mine. He was about to summon it, but I wrapped my legs around him, which caught him off guard. I brought both of his arms towards my chest before grabbing his left one with both hands. I then turned and outstretched his arm, catching him in an arm bar.

"Tell me when I win," I taunted. Arching my back, so he could feel the pain. He tried to wiggle out, but I kept my legs locked around him.

"You win," he gasped. I released my hold on him and went to retrieve my daggers.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Severus got up and grasped his arm.

"That is called an arm bar. A muggle wrestling move," I cheekily gloated.

"And where would a women like you learn such a thing?" He also went over to get his sword.

"Once you've met Clarisse and get on her good side, she's happy to teach you anything violent. She even taught me the very basics of using a spear." Although I did get my head in a toilet and was used basically as a dummy. But towards the end, she started to stop destroying me and actually talked to me in a nice way. Well, nice for her.

"Daughter of..?"

"Ares. And have you always been good with your hands? I mean- wow okay that didn't sound right. Have you always been able to use your non dominant hand for spells? I started to question him.

"After Voldemort disappeared, I had thought it a good idea to be able to use both hands for spell casting. After all, as a Death Eater, there were a couple of times my right hand was injured and couldn't use it. Then when I learned my heritage, I thought it would be useful to use a wand and a sword. You could use a wand and your dagger, or two daggers. Whatever feels more comfortable." 

"When we're doing the spell part of our training, do you mind helping me work on my wand work with my left?" He had a good point.

"The know-it-all Gryffindor wants my assistance?" He rolled his eyes. "Gladly."

"Thanks. Now I'm going to get with Leo, and hopefully Piper." I waved at him before walking towards the fire wielding demigod. He and Annabeth were talking, probably discussing tips and tricks after their battle. "Hey Leo. Wanna go at it?"

"Sure, I'm all fired up now!" He took out his 3 pound hammer and faced me. Leo had the advantage of fire, and whatever trinkets he had in his toolbelt, so I had to be wary of that.

He made the first move, throwing a flame ball at me. I easily dodged and his calculating eyes followed. He must be trying to gauge my reaction time. He lobbed another at me and I ran towards him. He made another one then shot in my direction. Okay. It took him 8 seconds to be able to make another flame. As he lobbed one at me, I quickly went in and swiped with my dagger, but he brought down his hammer.

Ok. Fire took him 8 seconds, to swing the hammer took 3. It was heavy, but the reaction time was slightly slow. 

I jumped back to avoid being caught on fire. I threw my left dagger towards his face, which he blocked with his hammer. As he was moving his hammer up to reflect the weapon, I dove in to get a cut in, which was successful. I managed to make a gash on his scrawny body.

"Hey!" He yelped in surprise then looked down. Using this to my advance, I picked him up and threw him to the ground. Honestly he was light. Once he groaned, I sat atop of him and stuck the celestial bronze under his throat.

"Dead," I huffed. I climbed off of him and offered my hand. He gratefully took it and stood up.

"Dang Hermione, that hurt! Didn't think you'd actually hurt me," he gave me that impish grin before taking out a square of ambrosia and biting a piece.

"I had to at least try! But I give you props on trying to figure out my reaction time in the beginning, that was smart. If anything flies towards your head, just move out of the way and use your hammer to attack. And don't get surprised if you get hurt," I laughed.

"You caught me off guard was all. But thanks, you were cool. Good luck on trying to master duel wielding." He handed me the Imperial Gold dagger.

"Alright Granger, I'm next," Annabeth challenged. Honestly, I just wanted to spar with Piper. Was that asking too much?

"You're on, Chase. I bet you can teach me something." I nervously cracked my fingers.

"Good luck!" Leo patted my back in sympathy.

Annabeth's grey eyes casted over me, trying to analyze all she could. She was in a good stance; feet apart, shoulders broad, and her dagger at the ready. I decided to fix my awkward stance to match hers. Once I did, she gleamed. Then a second later, she sped towards me.

Both my daggers went up to meet hers and sparks flew. She wasted no time and immediately tried to cut my stomach. Out of defense, I kicked her hands to keep her blade away from me. Instead of it flying out of her hands, she actually tightened her hold. I was on the defense the whole time, barely keeping up with her attacks. Instead of blocking with both, I decided blocking with one and getting ready to block the next strike was smarter.

Sweat trickled down my face as I was trying to keep up. Annabeth shot her blade towards my face on my left side, but when I dodged it, she sucker punched me in the face! Instead of doing what Leo did, I allowed the adrenaline to keep my in gear. I was at her side in seconds, attacking with everything I had. She seemed to notice the tables turn on took on the defense.

Somehow, we ended in the back corner. I literally had her cornered! I could end this right now. I took a step forward to thrust my blade past her defenses, but she ducked and barreled straight into my stomach. I couldn't even process what was happening. One second I was about to win then the next I was laying on the floor, the wind knocked out of me, and a Celestial Bronze weapon under my neck.

"Dead." I stared into her grey eyes. How did they happen?

"Indeed. That was, interesting." She gave me her hand and I clutched onto it.

"I saw you use a wrestling move on Severus, then throw Leo down. Thought I would try to use one on you, but it seems you were caught off guard." She gave me a warm smile.

"Even if you didn't, I still would have lost. You're amazing. I could barely keep up with your attacks and I could tell you weren't trying your hardest." I tried to wipe off the sweat and crack my back. Now I know how Leo felt when I threw him.

"I was testing you, sort of. If you're determined to use two blades, try to switch one out for a sword. It will give you the length to attack like you're trying to do. But nice defensives, I'll admit." We shook hands before parting. Try a sword, huh?

I walked over to the walls that weapons hanging on them. I tried using different swords, but none of them felt right. Either they were too heavy, or too light. It'd be a nice balance, but the grip was just wrong.

I was going to give up, but the 13th sword was different. It was Celestial Bronze, 3 and a half feet tall, and double bladed. The hilt was made of brown leather that didn't feel odd or scratchy in my hand. I swung it around a few times to test it out. It was leaning on the heavy side, but it seemed well balance. I decided to use it.

"Hey, Pipes, you ready to kick my ass?" I asked from behind her.

"Ready." She grabbed Katropis and lunged. I managed to block it with my sword, which I left in my dominant hand.

We exchanged a few blows so I could get used to the weight and length of the sword. I was doing well by gaining ground, but I didn't notice she stuck out her foot. Such a small simple thing to loose by!

"To be honest, that was an accident. I was trying to fix my footing, but your tripped. I ain't complaining though. A wins a win." As she was about to pull Katropis away, I saw something in it. 

"Wait. Look." We both watched as we saw the Dark Mark hover above Hogwarts. Then we saw Dumbledore being cornered by most of the Death Eaters. A whole army of monsters, titans included. Voldemort fighting Percy and Harry. Harry clutching Percy while blood pooled around them. Fred lying unconscious by rubble, Lupin stone cold on the floor, Severus being attacked by Nagini.

"Uh oh." She cleared her throat. "Guys? I think Voldemort is going to attack soon. And it's bad."

\------  
A/N: What? I updated within a week? I know it takes me forever to upload, but we are nearing the conclusion of this story, only a couple chapters left, and I don't want you all to wait forever on it. I tried to keep it light on the first half, but then it got really dark the end oops. And obviously people are going to die, not everything will be sunshine rainbows.

QotD:  
Favorite type of fish?  
Answer:  
Either the Great White or Jellyfish. If that counts as a fish? idk


	20. And so, it Begins

-Hazel Pov-

"Today we'll make a blood replenishing potion. This is another pass or fail assignment. Instructions on the board." Severus got up to stalk around the classroom.

"This should be easy enough. But after what Piper told us, I think it would be a safe bet to make extras for us," Hermione said.

"Yes, that does seem like a good idea." I couldn't help but glance back to look at Percy. This past week, everyone has been on edge. Percy and Annabeth continued on getting their nightmares, so they tried to stay up as much as they could. They spent most of the nights training.

Draco kept getting dreams about being tortured by his father and his aunt, Bellatrix. I kept spotting monsters down by Hagrid's hut and I defeated as many as I could.

"Hazel? We're going to be late, c'mon." Nico grabbed my arm and directed me towards our Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"Today, for the first hour, I will be teaching about Greek monsters, with the aid of the demigods present. Second hour we'll work on wand work.

"I've been told that your last teacher informed you about the second Titan War and the gods. I guess we can begin talking about the second Giant War. That will bring us to get more insight about what we might be facing." Professor Lupin gestured for us to go in front of the class. Percy, Annabeth, Nico, and I walked in front of the class.

"I guess it all started after the Titan War. We got a new Oracle and she made her first prophecy. We hoped it wouldn't have started until past us, but we were stupid," Percy laughed without humour. "It went like this.

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,

To storm or fire, the world must fall, 

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."

"The prophecy started when Percy was kidnapped. Hera took him on December 14th. I searched blindly for months, until I got a dream saying to go to the Grand Canyon. I found Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite, and Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus. They went on their own quest to save that wretched goddess from being kidnapped or whatever. When they came back, Leo started working his worship, the Argo II." Annabeth let that sink in before looking at me.

"Oh, uh," I thought I was here to be moral support. "Percy showed up at our camp carrying a goddess in his hands. We found out he was a son of Neptune, but he had his memories erased. We went on a quest, where I kind of learned more about myself and my powers. We got our weapon back from Alaska and defeated one of the giants. Percy was made praetor," I explained.

"Yeah. But what sucked was that I had no memories at all. And once I made it to the Roman Camp, the Curse of Achilles washed away. When I came back from our quest, I was able to get in contact with the Greek Camp. Thankfully I was able to get my memories back. The first thing Annabeth did when she saw me was flip me! We were having a good time and all but things went wrong and the Romans hated us, so they tried to kill us." 

"Meanwhile, as they made their way to Greece, I went into the underworld. I ventured into Tartarus, hell, to try and close the Doors of Death, but I was ambushed and captured," Nico mumbled the last part.

"I was able to get the thing that would heal the rift between the two sides, the Athena Parthenon. However, as our friends were getting the statue on board, Arachne was able to get my leg wrapped in her spider webs. Percy held on to the cliff and made Nico promise something before dropping us into Tartarus," Annabeth casted her glance downwards; Percy wrapped his arm around her.

"I promised I'd lead the demigods to my father's temple. We made it and they escaped Tartarus. I went on a side quest to take the Athena Parthenon to Camp Half-blood in hope to heal the rift. We managed to make it in time." Nico's face formed a small smile.

"Gaea did rise, but we were able to defeat her. And now we're here," I ended.

"That's a lot to take in. Any monsters we should know about? And how to kill them?' Professor Lupin looked at us sadly.

"We have a pretty good idea of what Voldemorts army is made of. If you encounter a hydra, do not cut off its head. If you do, two more will grow. To defeat one, either stab it in the stomach or cut a head off then light it on fire," Annabeth said.

"There's also going to be hellhounds. They are massive and have sharp claws, but if you are quick enough, you might be able to escape. Although it's highly unlikely if they already have your scent. Easiest way to kill them is to aim for the underbelly," I added.

"We also think there might be a chance of Titans. These guys can be tall and they give off a glow. If you run into one, run away as fast as you can. They are intelligent, manipulating, and cunning. Come get one of us if you see one," Percy advised. And that's how the first how went. We tried to think of the monsters and the best ways to kill them.

"Thank you you guys. Now we'll be working on casting silent spells. This will be difficult, but useful. Anyone know why?" Professor Lupin took the stage again as we took our seats. "Yes Ms..?" A Slytherin girls hand shot up faster than Hermione's.

"Ms. Novak. It will be difficult because you have to concentrate on the spell and shoot in where you want it to go. It will be useful because the enemy won't know what hit them. Literally." She looked pleased with herself.

"Very good, 5 points to Slytherin. So I'll be partnering you up.."

~~

I went into the Room of Requirements to try and get some training in. It's been difficult to fall asleep because everyone is anxious and my ADHD doesn't help. I paced in front of the walls three times with the thought 'somewhere where I can practice' in my head. A door appeared and I entered.

Inside was what we usually had on practice days. Mats, dummies, and some weapons. I stepped inside to hear people panting. To my right was Severus and Hermione; they were in combat with their weapon and wand. I couldn't help but watch as they casted spells at each other while attacking with a blade. My brother was victorious. Hermione laid on the floor, stun, with an annoyed expression.

"I told you to focus on defense if the opponent is casting spells," Severus lightly scolded as he reversed the spell.

"I did!" She grabbed onto the offered hand and stood up. "I saw an opening and took it. Didn't know you could do wandless magic." She wiped sweat off of her face and turned to the man.

"Barely. I can't do much and Death Eaters don't know it either, so I guess it was slightly unfair. You are improving though." They stared at each other, expressions soft. I felt like I was intruding, so I cleared my throat.

"Mind if I practice?" I pulled out my spatha and gestured towards the dummies with it.

"Go ahead. I should get going, I've got papers to grade," Sevy sighed. He dried off his face then headed outside, robes in hand.

"I can practice with you. I bet I'll be better than the dummies," 'Mione laughed.

"If you're not too tired, then I'm fine with that." It was fairly late, around nine. Was everyone having sleeping problems?

"Wands or no wands?" 

"No wands please." She nodded her head and placed her wand on a nearby shelf.

~~~

It was January 28th, my brother's birthday! He hid from us all day, seeing as it was a Saturday. We were able to ambush him in the halls though as he talked to Nearly Headless Nick.

"Come on guys, you know I hate celebrating my birthday!" Nico complained as we dragged him towards the Come-and-go-Room.

"Sucks! Gotta enjoy it while you can, little cousin," Percy ruffled his hair playfully.

"Yeah! Especially since the whole Voldemort shit is gonna go down soon," Leo happily reminded.

We walked inside the room where we had everything set up. There were skull decorations lining the small room. Streamers with skeletons hung from the ceiling. The table cloth had hellhounds running around in it, and the cake was white with orange frosting. On top it said, "You haven't died yet!"

"You guys did this all for me?" He looked around in awe.

"Of course!" I put my arm around his shoulders and smiled when he didn't flinch. He was getting better at contact. "We all love you, Nico. Who cares about your age, this is just about surviving and we're all happy you're here." Everyone went around saying their own speech, and Nico was basically tearing up.

"I love you guys." We went into a group hug, happy that our Nico was more comfortable around us.

"So cake?" Severus asked. We all nodded our heads and he went to cutting it.

"So where were you today, Nico? I couldn't find you anywhere in the castle," Piper innocently asked.

"I actually went to Camp last night. Spent most of today with Will.." Nico blushed but didn't elaborate.

"Wonder how that went," Leo winked. I blushed and looked away, still not used to his sexual innuendos.

"Today's the 29th, I'm a bit worried that You-Know-Who hasn't made a move yet," Ron nervously stuttered.

"I have been a bit nervous about it, but I feel like we've trained enough. Also, we can easily kill him now that he doesn't have the horcrux things," Percy encouraged.

"Yeah! And we have the smartest witch of her age." Harry turned to wink at Hermione who responded with a shy smile.

"Aannnd we some of the most powerful demigods in centuries!" Neville added in.

"If only we knew when he was going to attack. I've been seeing things and.." Piper shook her head. "Leo, you think you and the Weasley twins can make traps/bombs/distractions?"

"I would be honored to do it, Beauty Queen." Leo took out a firecracker along with a toilet paper tube. He scares me sometimes.

"Okay so we got defense in progress, and I think we should be fine for offense. I suggest telling Dumbledore to make an evacuation drill of some sorts. When Voldemort comes, I won't let any of the lower years try to fight." Annabeth's grey eyes swirled as she looked deep in thought.

"That's a good idea. No one lower than 5th years should be involved. They could hide in the Room of Requirements or down in the dungeons. I also know some secret passages throughout the castle, maybe they could hide in there?" Harry looked over at Annabeth then Draco.

"I'll have Albus bring the Order here for extra protection, just in case. Then I'll have the teachers put up the extra protections, that should be sufficient. Now that our defense is better, what about our offense?" Severus rested his elbows on the table, hands intertwined in front of his face.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts have been going well for us. Most of the wizards in my class can produce a patronus. They also know spells that will come in handy, they seem ready. How about you, Piper, Leo?" I looked at the two. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had it together.

"Same with the patronus. I got a dragon who looks like Festus! Who knew, right?" 

Piper rolled her eyes. "The Ravenclaws for the most part, got it. Hufflepuff is struggling a bit with the spells, but I've seen them practicing in our Common Room, so it should be no problem."

"Spells will have some effect on the monsters, but it won't be enough to kill them. But we can't very well give them weapons. It'll take too much time and we won't be able to train them quick enough. You think we'll be enough?" Hermione desperately looked at our faces.

"I could ask Jason and Frank to come, I'm pretty sure they'll be here soon. And I could ask Artemis if I could borrow Thalia. At least that way, we have three more demigods and all of the Big Three," Percy suggested. I rolled that over in my mind. That seemed like a good idea, that way we could protect the wizards better.

"Will should be here too!" Nico blurted out. He blushed and composed himself. "I mean, we need a field medic just in case. Might as well bring Clarisse, we might need the extra brute."

"Okay. Yeah, that seems fine. I don't think Dumbledore or Chiron will mind. We'll come up with a strategy once everyone gets here. We'll Iris Message them right now. Unexpected meeting adjourned," Annabeth dismissed with a smile. We milled around for a while though, trying to keep our minds off the inevitable.

~~~

"I see." Dumbledore studied us under his spectacles. We told him of our plan and the people that would be joining us.

"Harry has been having nightmares. Voldemort is going to attack this week. Hopefully, our back up will arrive tomorrow." Annabeth ran her hands through messy blonde hair.

"Alright. I'll do everything I can. Thank you for informing me of this." His paintings walked around, grim expressions on their face.

"Of course. Goodnight." We bid our farewells before walking out of his office.

"We've got Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow, I'm a bit hesitant to go. We're going to be out in the open, surrounded by the woods," Annabeth admitted as we walked the empty corridors.

"I agree. I'll ask Leo to start setting up traps in the forest." We walked in silence before we had to split up to go to our own way.

Our plan seemed full proof. Percy was going to be our tank, since he's got the Curse of Achilles. All of us have armor that is disguised as clothes. It is uncomfortable at times, but rather safe than sorry. The Zeus children were going to be behind Percy, destroying whatever monsters went past him. Nico and I were going to be behind them, killing the monsters that tried to flank. Hermione and Draco were in charge of the first floor, Leo and Piper the second, and Order members the rest. Harry would help the wizards, along with Ron, and Severus would fight alongside the teachers. Frank would just transform and destroy anything that came too close to the castle. Will would stick with around the castle with Annabeth and Clarisse, well we were just going to let her go wild.

I walked up to my dorm, laying on my bed. As I closed my eyes, I already felt dreams coming.

We were outside when all of a sudden the clouds became a dark grey. The atmosphere was tense. Everyone was engaged in their own battle, but Percy got stabbed. The golden sword penetrated his core and he fell, dead. Voldemort's laughter echoed everywhere.

"I know his weakness." With a chill, I bolted straight up. No way Voldemort could possibly know Percy's Achilles Heel, could he? 

I got up and dressed, heading towards the Great Hall. There, at the Gryffindor table, Percy sat hunched, with his head on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Um, Percy? I think you might want to hear this.." I sat next to him and explained what I saw, Annabeth intently listening.

"When the sword went through, did the blade go through his back or his stomach?" Percy tensed as he asked.

"It went straight through his back," I recalled.

"Fuck. Thanks Hazel. We just got to be careful, okay? He might not know where it is," Annabeth tried to soothe. I walked over to the Slytherin table and sat next to that Makayla girl. Percy's weak spot had to be somewhere on his back, so I have to guard him extra carefully.

"You alright? It's too early to be deep in thought," the girl joked.

"Not when you've got a war coming.." 

~~~

"Alright class! Today we er will be learnin bout dementors. I know y'all have kind erf talked about 'em, but Professor Dumbledore wanted me to uh go ofer 'em." We walked over to a clearing by his hut, not near the forest, thankfully. 

"Ron should be safe, he doesn't have a soul," Makayla looked at me as if she expected me to laugh. "Get it? Because he's ginger?"

"I got it!" Percy started laughing and they high fived. I still don't get it though..

"Perseus Jackson!" The name rumbled around us. "You will come with me or this one dies!" In the Death Eaters arms were a struggling Draco.

"No," the son of the sea god growled. He grabbed his pen and took off the cap.

"Do not test me boy!" The Death Eater choked the son of Minerva until he was unconscious.

"Let. Him. Go!" Annabeth had also grabbed her dagger from her robes.

"Or what? I'll kill him!" To prove his point, he punched Draco in the jaw, and stabbed him in the side with his wand.

"Fine." Percy started to walk forward, but I caught his arm.

"Percy, no! It's a trap!" I pulled him backwards, but he simply pushed me off.

"It's okay. Trust me." He walked forward, arms in mock surrender.

"Annabeth, please tell me he's not going to give himself up," I pleaded.

"He won't," she promised.

Percy stood in front of the man, at least a foot taller. Everyone held their breathe, unsure of what to do. The Death Eater through Draco down and grabbed Percy's arm. Quickly, Percy turned and kicked the guy right in the sweet spot, taking off his mask.

"I tried to do this the easy way. Get him boys!" From the first emerged four other cloaked figures. They leaped on Percy, hurriedly tying him up. 

"Screw. You," he groaned.

"Go. If everyone tries to follow us, I'll kill her!" The unmasked man grabbed Makayla who was trying to wake up Draco.

"Let me go, you funking asshole!" She yelled. The dark hair man gripped her by the hair and yanked hard, then brought his knee up on her head.

"Let this be a warning you all." He pointed his wand at us, then started walking backwards, still grabbing her hair.

"Fucking coward. You beat your mum like that?" Makayla panted out before spitting on him.

"Shut the bloody hell up!" He kicked her in the guts and I cringed from the crack that came from her ribs. Before any of us could react, they disappeared into the forest.

-Arachne Pov-

Finally, I was reformed! I tore through the membrane and took a deep breathe of the sulfuric air. I can take revenge on the stupid Athena girl and Percy Jackson!

"You!" I called to a wondering telkhine.

"Y-yes?" He quivered in fear. Good.

"What has happened with the Giant War?" I hungrily looked him up and down.

"S-she was d-defeated," his voice cracked.

"Stupid demigods. If only I was put in the front lines! Alas, can't do anything about it now." I turned to the creature and twisted him in my webs before munching down on it.

As I was walking, my spidey senses tingled. Turning around, I was met with a Titan. "Ah, you've awaken." He looked me up and down.

"What do you need Krios?" Usually the Titan kept to himself.

"I have an offer. Join this whack job, Voldemort, with me. He has a plan to defeat the demigods. First, we'll strike at the wizarding world, then Camp Jupiter, then Camp Half-blood. The Seven are there, which means that wretched son of Jupiter and son of Poseidon will be there. Interested?" He gave a cold smile and my body got the chills. Wonderful.

"I'll gladly come with." I followed him throughout Tartarus, musing my good fortune. Once I kill Athena's favorite daughter, I can finally kill the greedy goddess herself!

"We're here," Krios simply stated after we walked some distance. In front of me were hords of monsters, even some as old as me.

"Haha!" I laughed maliciously. "The demigods won't even now what hit them."

\------  
A/N: Sorry for a relatively short chapter. Oh no, does Voldemort know Percy's Achilles Heel? How'd the Death Eaters get inside the Hogwarts barrier? Where'd they come from? Where'd they go? Where'd they come from from, those Death Eaters?  
And I only put Arachne Pov so I could make a spidey sense joke, lol. I'm gonna go watch the movie hopefully later today.

Question:  
DC or Marvel? Why?  
Answer:  
DC because that's what I grew up with, but I do appreciate Marvel.


	21. The Attack

Percy Pov

I awoke in a prison cell, it looked like. I was underground, I could sense that much. There were no lights, but I could make out a door. I felt my pockets and grabbed my wand along with my pen. Guess they didn't know they reappeared in my pocket.

I snuck towards the door and silently destroyed it. As I walked towards the steps, I was ambushed. Four people grabbed my arms while two had my legs. I was knocked out until Voldemort himself walk in front of me.

"Ah Perseus. How nice of you to join us." I growled and tried to lunge forward, but the Death Eaters had a strong grip on me.

"Let me go or I swear to gods-" I started to threat.

"Or what? You'll hurt me? Let's see how tough you feel when you don't have the Curse of Achilles." Voldemort grabbed me by the shirt and started to fly, goons along with him.

"Let. Me. Go!" I thrashed as hard as I could, kicking and punching, but to no advil. Heck, I was even hoping Zeus would shoot me out of the sky. Maybe I'd have a chance on the ground, but nothing happened.

All throughout the flight, I did everything I could think of to try and drop myself. It was useless when finally I was thrown downwards. I hollered as I approached the river, using the water to cushion my fall. As I touch the water, a feeling of dread resonated throughout me. I felt the Curse wash away with the water.

"No. No!" This was the Tiber. The original Roman river. My invincibility was gone, how was I going to protect everyone now?

"That's right! Now I can kill you!" Voldemort pointed his wand and was about to cast a spell when two hands emerged from the water and grabbed him. Mimicking what I did, I tossed him into the river, grabbing the nearby Death Eaters as well. It was fairly late, the moon was high up. 

After they had been knocked unconscious, I grabbed all of their wands and snapped them in half, throwing it in the river. I tied them all up around a thick tree. I pulled out Riptide and stared at Voldemort. This was my chance, I could end this now.

Raising my sword, I stabbed straight where the heart would be. For good measure, I sliced the body in half. However, no blood came out, only mist. It was an illusion.

"Fuck!" I screamed in frustration. The lackies were real enough, so that meant I was really vulnerable like everyone else. In frustration, I wadded into the water. I saw Poseidon do it, so maybe I could do it too.

I dived into the river from where I was at and let the cool water cover me. I thought about the Great Lake and the own cool body of water that was there. Face strain with concentration, I felt a tug in my stomach. My molecules became loose as I traveled through the water, jumping from a river to a lake to an ocean to a river then in the lake. When I opened my eyes, I could sense Hogwarts right by.

"Coo. But really terrifying." I boosted myself out and headed towards the castle. The door was locked, even a spell wouldn't let me open, so I decided to pass out nearby.

"Percy? Percy! Percy, wake up!" My body shook as I felt a headache coming along.

"Wha?" I warily opened my eyes to see a sunny sky. My head felt heavy, but I seemed relatively unhurt.

"Oh my gods, are you okay? Jason, help me carry him to the nurse." Jason? My thoughts were clouded, but I tried to muddle through. I was at Hogwarts and Jason was here because we needed him.

"Percy, stay with us, please don't go back to sleep," Annabeth pleaded. I could feel myself being carried.

"Annie. I love you," I happily sighed.

"I love you too, okay? We're almost there," she seemed worried. I wasn't bleeding, was I?

"Hello what- oh. Set him down right there." That was Madame Propmhy! Propet? Poppy? Eh I'll go with Poppy.

"Is he okay? What's wrong?" I felt a tingling sensation on top of my head.

"Mild concussion, head split, slight amnesia, should be fixed within an hour," she reassured. Concussion?

"What? But he has.." I felt Beth take my arm and examine me.

"Can I take a nap?" I yawned.

"Sorry Mr. Jackson, but I need you to stay awake. Could you go fetch me water? Thank you, and you try to keep him awake." I felt someone turn my body over and touch my head. It felt wet.

"Do you want blue cookies? Your mom sent some."

"Hell yes! Mum always makes the best cookies." Especially with milk. Warm milk. Mmm warm milk with cookies before bed sounds amazing.

"Hey, hey. Your favorite cousins are here!" Annie promoted.

"I saw Jason. Thalia is here to?" I tried to get up, but I flinched.

"Stay still, hold on." I felt the lady wrapping my head, something cool in the gauges. Maybe a cream. Then she cleaned the dry blood with the water Jason brought.

"Hey man, you gave us a scare." He fixed his glasses.

"Oops? What happened?" 

"Don't strain yourself, Mr. Jackson. Lay down and relax. Answers can wait another hour until you're healed. I'm afraid I'm going to ask you two to go to class, but I will call you once he is good to go, Ms. Chase." After a little bit of arguing, I sensed the two people go away.

"Alright now tell me how bad it actually is, doc?" I was now on my back, staring up at the ceiling.

"It's just as I said. Give it an hour and you should be good to go as long as you don't go hitting your head," she lightly scolded me.

"Hey. I was getting up when I tripped and hit my head on a stone, not that I wanted to!" I argued.

"If you say so. Do you think you can stay awake by yourself, or do you need me to babysit?" 

"I'll be fine. Thank you." After a minute, Poppy left and I was alone with my thoughts.

Okay so this is clear evidence that I no longer have the Achilles Heel. That means we have to change our battle strategy, great. At least Jason, Frank, Clarisse, Will, and Thalia are here. A handful of dark wizards don't have wands, curtsy of me, so we have maybe a day. Good thing I've been pushing myself instead of relying on my invisibility, so I was still going to be a good front line fighter.

"He's thinking isn't he? Oh no, the world is going to end!" Leo dramatically entered followed by Annabeth.

"Hey Wise Girl." She came over and hugged me, Leo trying to join in.

"What were you thinking about?" She sat on my bed, the latino taking the chair.

"Bout us having to change our strategy," I replied.

"You're right. We'll have a meeting after dinner. Then you can explained what happened there." Annie helped me out of bed and Leo slung one of my arms around his shoulder, which was a bit awkward since he was shorter.

"Speaking of dinner, I think I'm in the mood for tacos," he tried to lighten the mood.

"Blue tacos?" I laughed.

"That sounds gross!"

"Unhand me, you uncultured swine!" I swear dropped.

"Not everyone likes blue food, Seaweed Brain," Annie laughed.

"But who doesn't? It should be against the law to not like blue food," I huffed.

"It should be against the law to like blue food," Leo retaliated. All the way to the Great Hall, we were bickering about the subject.

"Finally, we're here. Go with your table, Flame Head," I maturely stuck out my tongue.

"Whatever, Water Boy." Annabeth merely rolled her eyes.

We made it to the mostly empty Gryffindor table. I sat down in relief and started to dig in, barely taking notice of the mess I was making. 

"You don't change, do you?" Annabeth playfully ran her fingers through my hair as we ate peacefully.

~~~

"Surprise mother fuckers!" I santured into Dumbledore's office and Annie face palmed never to me.

"And the idiot lives!" Thalia joked. I hugged her, then my bro Jason.

"So we heard you were kidnapped? Tch, typical Prissy."

"Nice to see you too, Clarisse." We fist bumped with mutual respect.

"About this kidnapping. What happened?" Everyone fell silent as all eyes fell on me. Demigods, professors, and paintings alike.

"It was when we were at class.." Then I proceeded to explain what went on, all the way until here.

"So you've really lost the Curse of Achilles," Jason murmured.

"Yup," I popped the p.

"And it would be too dangerous to take the risk again. I don't think he'll survive a third dip," Nico realistically stated.

"I guess we'll have to think of a new plan," Draco sighed.

"Don't look discouraged, we can make it work. We'll have the Order watch the inside of the castle, making sure everyone is safe. The teachers will watch the perimeter of the castle, dueling the Death Eaters. Percy will be stationed by the lake since it is a water source, boosting his power. The Thunder Twins," Leo laughed, "will be on the front lines with Percy. Watch the Forbbin Forest and help with any big time monsters. Leo, how is the forest looking?" Annabeth looked over at Santa's elf.

"Amazing. I warned the centaurs to be careful, but they tried to chase me away. Deep in the forest, Festus is chilling there. He will serve as an alarm, warning us when the attack starts. He'll try to fend them off. Then we have booby traps; quicksand, traps, fireworks, anything really. Close to the edge of the forest, I set up flares and mini rockets, which should buy us some time," Leo looked deep in thought. "I know I have more toys in three, but I can't remember. So just, like, be careful."

"You're mad, you know that right?" Jason shook his head in awe.

"Everyone needs a little madness in life!" He licked his grease stained hand and slicked his hair back.

"Boys," McGonagall rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, that should suffice. Hazel, I want you to be stationed by the Whomping Willow. They might try to sneak in through the Shrieking Shack. Nico, I'm counting on you to try and locate Voldemort, is that fine?" 

"Got it," he gritted his teeth in determination.

"Leo, I'm going to put you in defense to aid the professors against monsters. Piper, I'll also have you accompany them so no monsters reach inside the castle. Frank, you are going to be our sniper in a way. You'll be picking off monsters then flying around, assisting anybody who needs help. Will, you're going to be a field medic. Clarisse, you just do you. Questions?" 

"Battle plan worthy of Athena," Dumbledore praised.

"I can kill these Dead Eaters?" Clarisse got a hungry glint in her eyes.

"We would prefer it if you didn't. Try not to, but if it happens, we can't do anything about it," Sev shrugged.

"Erm, what about us?" Harry awkwardly rose his hand.

"The chances are that Voldemort will try to lure you out. I want you, Harry, to stick with Ron and Hermione. You three will keep by the entrance of Hogwarts along with the professors. Neville, Draco, you two will be defending the older students from monsters. And the last thing we're going to discuss is flares." Annabeth ran a hand through her hair, but I could tell she was thrilled about this plan.

"Flares? That's dangerous.. isn't it?" Piper hesitated.

"Naw, we're going to shoot them out of our wands, just a little steam of light, really," I assured.

"Yeah. We only have four, so listen carefully. If you throw up a blue flare, it means you've spotted a Titan. One of the Big Three will take care of it. A red flare is if someone is gravely injured. This is mostly for Will, but of someone is dying, carry them out of the fight. A green light means you need backup. Anyone can go and help. Lastly, a pink flare is when you spot Voldemort; this is mostly for Nico, but we don't know if he'll join in or not. Harry, do not engage if you see it." A grim wave rushed throughout the office. This was real, it was going to happen. Some people were going to die.

"Are the students aware of this?" Lupin asked.

"Not yet. Tomorrow at breakfast, I'll make the announcements. Hopefully we have that time to do so," Dumbledore looked older somehow, like when Chiron spoke of old heroes.

"Sev, you have the potions right?" For the past week or two we've been making extra potions for anything and everything.

"Yes, I have them down in my office. They are already labeled, so hopefully you guys don't struggle with them. It's in Greek, Latin, and English. I'll hand them out tomorrow in the morning." 

"There's not much we can do now. Go to bed, young ones." Reluctantly, we all went our separate paths.

That night, my dream was odd. I was in the middle of the ocean, but I couldn't tell where I was. I was swimming for what felt like forever when I crashed into an invisible forcefield. Once I made contact with it, waves started to pick up. I was thrown around, as if I were a volleyball, and I couldn't control the water. I was powerless.

A hand grabbed me by the hair and pushed me into the salty water. I thrashed and tried to create a pocket air, but nothing was working. I was drowning.

"Bro, wake up!" Jason electrocuted me.

"I'm up!" I sat straight up, a chill going down my spine.

"You were thrashing around, are you okay?" 

"Fine. What time is it?"

"5:43am. I haven't had much sleep. Want to go to the common room and I don't know, spar?" Jason's eyes still shone with worry.

"Yeah. Let's go." I threw on a tank top and headed downstairs. Surprisingly, Annabeth and Hermione were up, talking.

"Percy? Jason? Are you two alright?" Annie was the first to notice us.

"Yeah, we just couldn't sleep. You guys?" We plopped down next to them, forgetting that we were going to practice.

"I had a nightmare about Arachne. I think she might be with Voldemort," Annabeth groaned and I hugged her.

"If she's with him, I wonder who else is. Actually, no I don't. I hope it's nothing, but I know it's useless," Jason mumbled.

"We just got to stay positive, okay?" Hermione encouraged.

"When pigs fly," I whispered.

"Percy, you've seen a pig fly. Twice. And you defeated it," Annabeth reminded me.

"Shh. Now that I'm here with you, I'm going back to sleep." I rested my head on her thigh and held her left hand.

"Pigs fly? You're on a whole different level." Jason laughed as I felt myself embracing the darkness.

~~~

"Students," Dumbledore's voice rang throughout the Great Hall," I have a couple of important things to say." Everyone was silent as he said what he had to say. Members of the order were strewn around the room, wands at the ready.

"Did you hear that?" Thalia tensed across from me. 

"No, what?" I whispered as to not miss anything.

"Shush." Then I heard it. Giant foot steps. None of the wizards noticed, but I got up and pulled out my weapon and grabbed my helmet, demigods right behind.

"Percy wh-" before Dumbledore could finish his sentence, a giant stick came down onto the Great Hall. Everything screamed in panic.

"Remember what we've told you! Battle stations everyone!" The younger kids scampered away while the older ones lingered behind. The castle was hit again.

"Let's go!" I raised Riptide in the air and marched towards the entrance. Before I could even push the door open, it flew over our heads as a club took its place.

"Laistrygonian Giants!" Annabeth shouted in alarm. Wasting no time, Frank and Thalia shot down the two beasts.

"Stick to the plan, go!" I shouted. Everyone went to their assigned places, although the wizards took a bit longer. 

My back was to the lake, sword drawn. So far nothing moved, not a sound was heard besides the swishing of the water.

"Boom!" Deep inside the forest, I could see flames shooting into the sky, bringing down the enemies who were trying to fly towards us.

Orange lights shot up just ahead of me and I could see a couple of telkhines melting. Way to go Leo!

"You insufferable demigods and wizards! I was going to give you a quick death, but you shall all die a slow, painful one!" Krios took the lead. He was flanked by Koios, I had his helmet on, and Hyperion.

"We're dancing this same old rodeo, are we? Well come on then!" All three charged me, but Krios veered left and Hyperion right, leaving me with Koios.

"How dare you wear my helmet!" The Titan shot towards me, sword coming down at me. I quickly parried it, but he gave me no time to think. He kept advancing, andI had to be on the defense the whole time.

"Ready for round two?" I heard Jason ask. I turned and saw him fighting Krios, Thalia the remaining Titan. As I did a quick 360, I also saw many more monsters. A giant scorpion, Empousi, hellhounds, horses.

"Stay focused on me, child!" Koios pressed me harder and I had to step back. I made our way to the lake and summoned a wave to distract him. In the two seconds I bought myself, I activated the shield Tyson gave me.

"It seems like you've gotten rusty, old man," I taunted. He wadded through the water and began slicing at me again. However, this time the tables were turned. I was in water.

He brought the flat of the blade down and struck me in the head. My polar bear helmet vibrated as I fell under. Using the water, I boosted myself and sliced downwards towards his chest. The stygian armor cracked.

"Wh-what? Impossible?" In that second, I managed to bash my shield into his face and was satisfied when I heard his nose break. Ichor trailed down his face.

A sense of urgency took over me, so I pulled him down into the water, slashing at every part I could. Finally, I brought Riptide down until it was covered in gold liquid.

Once I was back on dry land, I noticed a green light. Sprinting past Jason and Krios, I made it to Professor Lupin and Hermione trying to fight off a Manticore.

"Dr. Thorn! I thought you died!" When he heard my comment, his tail twitched.

"Ah Perseus, I have a bone to pick with you!" He turned around, scorpion tail flicking dangerously behind him.

"Get in line," I scoffed. His brown and blue eye stared at mine before we went to combat. I tried to stab his side or underbelly, but that was proving hard. To keep from being poisoned, I used my shield, but it was difficult to be on both offense and defense.

As I pivoted, I caught Hermione's eye. Slicing at the Manticore's paw, I knew what she wanted me to do. I focused on this fight, ignoring everything around me. Dr. Thorn was able to pounce, stupid lion, and trap me under him. His breathe faintly reminded me of Smelly Gabe.

He brought his claws down, but before they made contact, he stiffened. On his back, in all her glory, was Hermione Granger. Grabbing her blade, she thrusted it into his back and deflected the tail with her sword. The Manticore dissolved in gold dust.

"That was badass." We high fived before I saw another green flare. Hermione went to go help Professor Lupin with Death Eaters.

I ducked from a spell trying to hit me, slid under a Cyclops legs, and jumped over a bear trap. I made it in time to deflect a blow that would have seriously injured Will.

"Thanks," he huffed. I gave him a grim nod before facing the monster. It was the Nemean Lion.

"You're kidding me!" I remember him. He's basically indestructible. The only vulnerable part was his mouth, but I didn't have any astronaut food this time.

"I got you're back, Kelp Head." Thalia came sailing over me and brought two blades down onto the beasts hide, but they simply broke in half.

I gestured towards its mouth as Thalia did a back flip to avoid being shredded. She nodded in understandment. I kept trying to get it to roar at me, but I guess it learned it's lesson last time. 

The daughter of Zeus thrusted her spear up and lightning came down, shocking the monster. Instead of being burnt, he was just annoyed.

"Nice one, Pinecone Face!" I thought that was actually going to work.

"Do you have any ideas?" We desperately defended ourselves.

"I have a plan on-"

"Oh no, not a plan from you," she moaned.

"On three, we sprint towards the lake," I continued on. "One, three!" I was able to throw Riptide and it hit the lion in the eye.

Thalia and I bulldozed our way to our destination, anyone in our way, for or not,was trampled. The Nemean Lion roared closely behind. I dived back into the body of water as the hunter of Artemis stood by the side. As expected, the lion couldn't fully stop itself, so it tumbled in right behind me.

Thalia was brewing up a massive storm while I kept the creature busy. It started to drown, so it opened its mouth. I used this to my advantage. Taking out Riptide once more, I shoved it down its throat. It was able to throw me out onto land before returning to Tartarus.

"Really Percy. Really? You just stole my thunder!" She gestured to the sky where clouds were a dark grey, blue electricity weaving in and out of view.

"Well what can I say? I am the lightning thief," I coughed and blood fell onto my face.

"Do you need me to call Will?" I felt a bit dizzy, but got up anyways.

"Are those the Colchis Bulls?" I pointed to a bronze bull spewing fire. Yup, it was them.

"Fuck! Wait, I think Leo's got it." And surely enough, Leo was riding one bull while his dragon kept the other busy.

"I'll see you on the flip side." We departed once again and fought our own battles.

At some point, it started to rain. Everyone was drenched as we continued to push back the invaders. So far, Voldemort wasn't spotted, but that was hardly my concern at the moment. I ran around the campus, helping out everyone I could. Sometime during the middle of the battle, a wave of dementors attacked, but thankfully the wizards quickly dispelled them.

No matter how many monsters I defeated, there was no end to them. Earthborn, Cyclops, giants, you name them. My armor was mostly destroyed and I was exhausted, but I kept pushing myself. Everyone had to be protected, no matter what.

Around 2, most of the Death Eaters that fought were bounded up inside a classroom, Mad Eye Moody watching them. The wounded were in the Great Hall, where Dumbledore, Will, and Poppy did their best to heal everyone. Draco managed to kill the last monster, a couple of harpies, before we came together. Everyone else looked more or less how I felt.

"Look!" Piper pointed towards the sky. A pink wisp shone between the dark clouds.

"Come, Harry, you better stay back," I warned. The ones who were still able to fight, Annabeth, Hermione, Thalia, Clarisse, and Harry, walked with my to wear Voldemort stood. He had on his black robes, snake like face glaring at us.

"Release my cousin at once!" Nico limply hung from Tom's arm while Thalia sparked dangerously.

"Why of course." He tossed Nico like a rag doll towards the woods. I clenched my fists.

"It's over, Tom. We win." I stepped forward and unsheathed my sword as emphasis.

"I am surprised you lived this long, but it seems like I've won this time." He started to cackle as black things flew at us. I tried to run, but it was too late.

Not only was there a ring behind Harry, Tom, and I, but the present demigods were also taken hostage.

"How about a fair duel hmm?" What kind of trick was he getting at.

"Percy, no!" Annabeth screamed.

"Hush, girl. Or I'll kill you." Maniac laughter came from the lady who held my fiancé in a choke.

"Swords or no deal," I growled. Harry was okay at using a blade, hopefully Voldemort was inexperienced.

"Sword it is, my boy." A minion of his tossed him a steel blade, about four feet long.

"Stay defense, let me do this." After all, I was more experienced with a sword.

"You don't need to protect me-"

I ignored him, running towards Tom instead. We exchanged a few blows to test each other out.

"Let me help!" Harry was desperately trying to join the battle, but we were pressing each other hard.

I managed to cut him, his sword arm bleeding, but he wouldn't let up. I was going in to disarm him, the first trick Luke taught me, but he anticipated. He caught my sword and kicked me in the ribs, leading me to fall.

"Get up Percy!" Annabeth cried.

I rolled over, slowly getting to my feet. I had to admit, Tom was good with a sword. Harry was now swapping blows with him and he was losing, he didn't have enough experience.

"Harry, no!" In slow motion I saw Voldemort swipe Harry's legs. The boy who lived fell, glasses going askew. Tom Riddle stood over him, a smirk plastered on his face. I knew what I had to do.

Using my remaining energy, I leaped on top of Harry, taking the blade through my back. I rolled to the side, steel blade sticking out of me and a pool of blood forming. Death Eaters laughed as my friends cried. I could hear Annabeth's screams.

"That was unexpected, even if your fatal flaw is loyalty. Goodbye, Perseus Jackson." He sounded reluctant, as if he didn't want to see me die.

"You're.. Coming.. With me. You," blood escaped my mouth, "bastard."

I concentrated on the blood pumping throughout Tom Riddle's body. I felt it moving, as if it were a steam. I brought the blood up to his heart and let it clog there.

"Stop it Percy! Stop!" Annabeth escaped the women's grasp and ran over to me, tears running down her face.

Once Voldemort fell over, still chocking, I pulled out his blade and stabbed him in the throat.

"Percy, please stay with me. Look at me. Please. I love you, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth was full on sobbing now. Harry recovered his wits and started firing spells, perhaps in anger or grief.

"Annabeth." This was the end, I knew it. She knew it. "My Wise Girl. I love you to Tartarus and back." I kissed her one last time, shoving as much emotion as I could in it before I felt myself go numb. My life flashed before me. What was. What is. And what could have been.

~~~

I was in a dark place. I couldn't feel anything at all, but I was able to move.

"Hello?" My voice was raspy. I looked down at my appearance and gasped. I was wearing my Camp Half-blood t-shirt, my clay necklace, and jeans. I put my hands in my pocket, but I didn't feel my pen or wand.

"Perseus?" My uncle's voice called.

"Hades?" I went towards the voice and found myself in his palace. How did I get here.

"Do you know why you're here?" I tried remember. I was at Hogwarts, then we were fighting. Tom and I were fighting when..oh. 

"I'm dead." I stated it as a fact and I felt cold. It felt wrong. 

"Yes, my nephew you are. I am sorry about that, truly. I'm here to ask if you want Elysium or rebirth." His hand patted my back and I felt like crying. Everything I loved was gone. My fiance, my mom, my unborn sister.

"Who else died?" I had to know. Since I died, I had to know if it was worth it. If I was good enough.

"Obviously Tom Riddle. I have a special place for him in the Fields of Punishment. Besides him, only two others. One, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange, curtsy of Molly Weaselly, and two, a boy by the name of Eren. His death is not your fault," he comforted.

"I'll go to Elysium," I decided.

"Are you sure? Rebirth should do you well."

"I'm sure. Make sure my funeral doesn't suck, okay?" He smiled sadly at me before opening a gate.

"Elysium waits for you, hero." I gave my uncle one last smile before stepping through the threshold.

"Zoë? Luke?"

Annabeth Pov

"Annabeth. My Wise Girl. I love you to Tartarus and back." We shared a deep, passionate kiss before he went limp. He was gone.

"No!" I screamed and sobbed, the world around be irrelevant. My heart broke in half. 

"Annie, he's gone." Thalia tried to pry me off, but I clutched onto him tightly. He was my Percy. He laughed in the face of death, he couldn't die!

"Hades, bring him back! Bring him back!" After all we've been through, he couldn't just die like this. A stab wound shouldn't be how he died.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry. So, so sorry," Harry tried to apologize through his own tears.

"Annabeth we've got to go," Clarisse soothed. It was strange being comforted by her, but I soon relax.

"Let me carry him." Everyone stepped away as I grabbed Percy. I had him in my arms, bridal style. The demigods and Harry trailed behind me, also mourning the lost of a great hero.

The rain poured harder, as if even Poseidon was crying over his favorite son's death. The walk felt long and miserable, but I trudged on. I had closed his sea green eyes and swept his dark hair out of his face. He looked so peaceful, no memories of war or Tartarus.

Before me, the doors to Hogwarts opened. I made by way to the Great Hall and everyone's attention turned to us.

"Annabeth! Harry! Oh thank the gods, wait. What's wrong with Percy?" Hermione's steps faltered as she approached us. The room was dead silent.

"Annabeth?" The rest of the demigods crowded around and I set his dead body on top of the Gryffindor table.

"He's gone." It barely came out as a whisper, but everyone knew what it meant.

"Oh gods," Piper was on the verge of crying and I couldn't take it. I walked out of the castle, away from the grounds, and deep into the forest.

"It should have been me." I curled up into a ball and cried so violently next to a river. The one most important thing to me was gone, in a blink of an eye.

'I love you to Tartarus and back'

I closed my eyes and let the sound of the river lull me to sleep.

-Two Days Later-

Neptune, the water phoenix, teleported me right outside Sally's apartment. Waiting until I composed myself, I knocked on the door.

"Hey, Annabeth! Come in," Paul greeted. I gave him a smile before sitting on the couch. A lot of things were already packed in a box.

"Can you get Sally?" Paul realised this was going to be serious, so he quickly went into the kitchen.

"Hey Annabeth. Where's Percy?" She asked it casually, but I looked down at my shoes. "Annabeth?" Sally sat down next to me, Paul on my other side.

"Percy, he. He um, died a heroes death. Protected all of us to his last breathe," my voice cracked and willed the dam holding my emotions to harden. 

"No.. no no. My little boy." Sally wrapped her arms around me, crying into my shoulder. Even Paul was crying. I couldn't keep it back either, I joined in.

"I'm sorry. If only I was smarter, if only-" 

"I don't blame you one bit, Annabeth. It wasn't your fault. Where's," she hesitated between sobs, "where's his body?"

"On Olympus. Chiron was informed yesterday. It's up to you how you want the funeral. I thought maybe Camp Half-blood, but that's your guys decision." That's where Percy began his journey. That's where I met him.

"Half-blood Hill is fine. I think he'd like that." The three of us shared a long, warm embrace.

"I'll inform Chiron and Poseidon. Do you mind if I sleep here?" I didn't feel like going back to my cabin, where everyone would pity me.

"Of course."

-Three Days After That-

Sally, Paul, and I walked up the hill in our dress clothes. At Thalia's tree, an assemble of people stood by.

Here, we would bury his body. Then we would move down to burn a shrine to him.

"Perseus Jackson, my son, was the bravest demigod I knew. His fatal flaw was loyalty, but if anything, that made him stronger. I watched him mature as a baby to a strong, young man. He is my pride and joy, and I am proud to announce him my son." Poseidon stepped down from the podium and Sally went up.

"Percy was, and still is, my little boy. Ever since he was born, I knew he was destined to do great things, which he did. He used to think lowly of himself for getting kicked out of schools, but I was just happy he didn't die. He had a dangerous life, but I wouldn't have had it any other way." 

Paul then went up. "I knew Percy was different, and I didn't care. When Sally told me who he really was, I was blown away. My stepson, who really felt like my son, was a real life hero. And when I got my car back with Pegasus hooves on them, I was over the rainbow! I learned a lot from him, and I was ecstatic that he trusted me enough to be apart of his wild life. Percy was a great man. An amazing son. A loving boyfriend." Paul sat next to me and I took a deep breathe before going up myself.

"I still remember my first words I spoke when I saw him. 'He's the one.' Even though I was naive back then, I was so right. He drooled and talked in his sleep, which was actually cute. He still did that, after all this time. His plans were mostly horrible, and I had to save his ass pretty often, and that's when I knew he really was the one. He fell into Tartarus for me and," I started to tear up, "he was so kind hearted. So pure. He was a Seaweed Brain, but he was also our leader, our backbone. Percy Jackson was a hero above heros, and will go down in legend."

And that's how it went. Grover went up, then Tyson, and Thalia. One by one, everyone said something, even if it was just a memory. Most of the gods were there too, saying their own part. Once the actual funeral was done, I gave him one last kiss on the lips before he was lowered into the grown. He had on a black tuxedo with a white toga and blue tie, camp necklace proudly set on his chest. Drachmas were spread around his body and Riptide laid in his hand with our engagement ring.

"Come on," Grover gently ushered me towards the amphitheatre, although his eyes were red and puffy. Paul looked around in curiosity while Sally sadly gazed.

A fire was lit and Sally and I held Percy's shrine. It had a picture of him that was taken during our time in Los Angeles, thanks to Piper. The water was in his hair, eyes swirling with amusement. The actual shrine was a sea green, decorated with sea shells and sand dollars. 

"To Perseus Jackson, son of the sea god, Savior of Olympus." Sally and I released the shrine and watched it go up in flames. We gathered around, until sunrise, and finally decided to leave.

"Annabeth, you can live with us, you know. I think of you as my own daughter anyways," Sally offered as we stood in front of Percy's grave and Thalia's tree.

"I would like that. I just need one more moment with him before I go." Sally and Paul hugged me one last time before going to wait in the car below.

"I love you to Tartarus and back," I kissed the stone before walking down the hill. I'll miss him to pieces all I want, but I know he'd want me to carry on and be happy. So that's what I was going to do. I was going to live my life to the fullest and tell Percy all about it once I meet him again. For once, I wasn't scared anymore.

Perseus Jackson  
Savior of Olympus  
1993-2011  
'Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood'

 

\------  
A/N: *gross sobbing* I'm sorry. I hope Percy's death/funeral was satisfactory. I cried writing this because the feels were way too intense. 

Two more chapters are left. Beware~

QotD:  
Which child of the Big Three would you be?  
Answer:  
Hades because why not?


	22. Alternative Ending

You've gotta read the previous chapter to understand this one.

Percy Pov

"Swords or no deal." Harry was okay with a weapon, he didn't have the experience, but it was my preferred method of fighting.

"Deal." One of Voldemort's minions threw him a sword. It was about four feet long and made of steel.

"Harry, listen to me. You are going to stay back, no matter what, do you understand me?"

"But-"

"Do you understand me?" I was exhausted and just wanted to get this over with.

"Fine." Harry gritted his teeth.

I rushed Voldemort and struck him. He must have been taking sword lessons, he was slightly better than Harry. However, I wasn't named the best swordsman in centuries for nothing.

"Deal with the Death Eaters," I huffed to Harry who looked desperate to do something. He nodded his head.

"You can't kill me, boy!" Voldemort growled.

"Watch me." He had some blood running down his arm from a cut I gave him and he was panting heavily. I wasn't any better though, seeing as I had been fighting countless monsters now.

The Death Eaters were giving Harry a tough time, but Annabeth was able to get out of Bellatrix's grip.

After another minute, I did the very first move I ever learned with a sword. The disarming technique. The tip of my blade hit the hilt and I turned my sword, making Tom drop his weapon. Without a second thought, I swung Riptide straight into the monsters belly. For extra measures, I stabbed him in the throat.

Normally, I wouldn't curse anybody, especially since I learned the hard way how much curses hurt, but this was different.

"I hope Hades uses you as a personal toy." 

"Percy!" I turned and saw that everything wasn't quite finished yet. 

"Run to the castle, go!" We weren't going to be able to hold our against these guys. Thalia was limping, Harry was cut up, and Annabeth looked tired.

I watched everyone run towards Hogwarts and I ran behind them, deflecting as many spells as I could. Thalia was hit by a spell and fell down.

"Thalia!" I lifted her up and carried her like a fireman. I was running in zig zags and my chest was burning, as if I was drinking from the Phlegethon again.

We made it to the gates when some of the order members came out in clutch. I ran into the Great Hall where the injured were and placed Thalia on the table.

"Thanks.. Kelp Head." She coughed up blood and I wanted to stay, but I knew I would be better help outside.

"Jackson, you need to stay here! You're badly wounded!" Will called after me.

"Help Thalia." Was my only response.

Once I was outside, I could see Ron facing off with Bellatrix. In slow motion, I saw a green spell hit him in the chest and then he dropped dead.

"No!" Molly's scream was full of pain and outrage. She had just witnessed her baby die.

"Oops!" Bellatrix cackled in delight.

"You bitch!" Molly went into full savage mode, whipping her wand around and sending non stop spells at the murderer. Clarisse used this to go around and kill the remaining Death Eaters but knew to keep Lestrange to Molly.

With wide eyes, Bellatrix Lestrange dropped to the floor.

"That's what you get for killing my son!" Molly was sobbing as she picked up Ron's body. We followed her into the Hall.

"Mum?" Fred was the first to spot us.

"Mum, why you carrying Ron like that? Did he fall asleep?" George tried to lighten the mood.

"Ron.. he's dead." Those words hung in the air as everyone processed it.

Ginny came sprinting towards her mother and started to sob. Fred and the rest of the Weasley's went outside so they could mourn in peace.

"Who else died?" I dared to ask Dumbledore. 

"A 5th and 6th year Slytherin, a member from the order, and the Minister of Magic. I'm not sure at what time of the battle he showed up, but nonetheless, he didn't make it."

These words felt heavy on my chest. I was back in San Francisco, holding the weight of the world again. "I failed."

"In all my years, I've never met a person like you, Percy. You have courage that exceeds Godric, loyalty that would make Helga jealous, and ambition that even Salazar would be proud of. I know what it is like to feel like you've failed everyone, but you didn't. Yes, people did die, but the cruel reality is they were going to at one point or another. You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it. That's why we have friends and family." Dumbledore patted me on the shoulder and went to go speak to Harry.

I took a look around me and saw injured bodies littered everywhere. Will looked exhausted and so did the school nurse, but it seems like the Potions we made came in handy.

I decided I knew what I had to do. I walked up to where the teachers sat during meals and stood in the middle.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" My voice echoed through the hall. Once everyone's eyes were on me, I took a deep breathe and begun. "Today marks the day of Voldemort's defeat- permanently this time. Not only did we defeat the dark wizard, we were also able to neutralise his followers. This marks the beginning of a new era. One without fear of a prejudice snake man. Sure, you wizards needed our help, but we need your help too. We learned from each other and made an unlikely friendship. Yes, people have fallen. In war, not everyone can return home unscathed. I'm truly sorry to those who've lost sometime. To those who won't ever be the same.

"We can learn from this. Pain is weakness leaving the body. Without it, we wouldn't be able to feel. Emotions may make you feel weak, but they make us stronger. Today is the day we embrace what has happened and become stronger. In the future, you can tell your kids about your bravery in this war. I know it will be a hard year to try and get everything back to normal, but I know we can do it. United, we are stronger." My determined eyes swept over the crowd and saw that everyone was paying attention. As I was heading down, applauses rang.

"That was brilliant!" Hermione hugged me and some others came to congratulate me on my speech, although it wasn't much.

"Percy!" I turned around to find Annabeth. "I love you so, so much."

"I love you so, so much too, Annabeth."

~~~

"Now that this is all over, where do you want to live?" Draco and I were hanging out on the couch while Severus and Annabeth did shopping. Currently, we all were staying at my mom's apartment as she moved things to our new house. The demigods were helping of course, since my 1 month year old sister needed attention.

"I've been talking with my mum and we were planning on leaving the country, probably move over here. American wizarding schools might not be as grand as Hogwarts, but we just can't go back. Not after what my so called father did." Draco had a far away look.

"What about Severus? I bet he'd miss you. Plus, your the seeker on the Quidditch team! They'd probably need you back," I tried to convince him to stay. 

"Maybe. I don't know. I kind of just want to forget about the wizarding world and try to live like a muggle. Or a demigod." Dray just shrugged.

"But if you finish Hogwarts, then you could use magic whenever you want. You can learn a lot of things still."

"Magic laws here loose. I just, I can't go back Percy. I've lost everything. The Slytherins will never see me the same, even if You-Know-Who is gone. You guys won't be there, so I won't have any company. I agree that I can still learn tons, but I'll have Severus and Mum teach me if need be. I'll attend muggle school and get a regular, job." He had good points. Plus, this was his decision, so I couldn't change it.

"Okay. Anywhere particular you're thinking of?" I rested my head on the wall and closed my eyes.

"My mom loves the beach, so I'm thinking California. Probably Los Angeles because that's where stars live, right? I'll fit right in." We both laughed and I rolled my eyes 

"That's not too far from Camp Jupiter, only a couple of hours. I think that's a good idea, whenever we're there, we'll come to visit." Maybe then I could take Annabeth to Disneyland!

"What about you? Going to get your own house?" 

"Naw. Beth and I are going to live with Sally while we finish highschool. Then we're going to go to university in New Rome and after that, I'm not sure," I honestly replied. I haven't thought that far yet.

"Highschool? Where?" Draco seemed intrigued, grey eyes scanning mine.

"Not too far from here. I've just got to do my senior year and I pass! Somehow," I laughed. It's amazing that I didn't get kicked out! But then again I was mostly gone for sophomore and junior year 

"How about I tag along? I do this year of school with you and go live with my mom afterwards."

"Good idea. I'll make it happen," I winked.

"We're home!" Annabeth announced as she opened the door.

"Hey honey." I greeted her and helped Severus with the bags.

"So the wedding is set! We.."

~~~

Today was the day, I was getting married. It seemed so bizarre to me. Once I had found out about the prophecy with Kronos, I didn't think I would live past 16. But now, two years later, I was marrying my best friend.

"Are you nervous? I'm not. Are you?" Grover was munching on a tin can, eyes darting around the room.

"Nope. I'm ready." Grover, as a joke, was wearing a white wedding dress. His curly hair was somewhat tamed and his horns proudly stuck out. I had on a pitch black suit with a smokey grey shirt and a silver tie.

"Alright, well. Let's get going." We walked down the aisle and I waited. Hera was our priest, even though we protested. I saw my mom, Paul, and Poseidon sitting in the front row with Annabeth's family. Jason, Piper, Nico, Reyna, Frank, Hazel, Leo and Calypso sat in the first row of the other side. Since we decided to have the wedding at the beach at camp, all of the demigods were invited. 

As I scanned the crowd, I almost chocked on my spit. Clarisse, next to Chris, was wearing a dress. A dress! It was bloodred with black straps. I was so shocked that when the music started to play, I jumped.

I stood and looked down the aisle and my jaw dropped. With her golden princess hair curled, a golden wreath sat atop of Annabeth's head, just like mine. The top part of her strapless dress started as a dark blue, then slowly turned green until at the bottom it was sea green. Nico held the train of the dress while my sister, Marionette, sat atop his shoulders randomly throwing rose petals.

"You look stunning." I could only admire at how gorgeous she looked. Tears reached the corners of my eyes. Thalia stood next to her, a beautiful dark blue dress on.

As Hera was talking, I may have tuned her out. When we said our parts, my heart was thumping in my chest.

"Perseus Jackson, do you take Annabeth to be your wife, to love her until death due you apart?"

"Not even death could make me stop loving you. I do." The last part I spoke to the goddess 

"And do you, Annabeth Chase, take Perseus to be your husband, to love him until death due you apart?" 

"I do," she answered immediately.

"You may kiss the bride." Our priest smiled as our lips connected. This was our first kiss as a married couple, so I made it as passionate as I could. Cheers erupted around us as fireworks went off. Dramatic much?

"I love you." 

"I love you too." Eventually we split apart to talk to our guests.

"I'm so proud of you Percy!" My mom was crying as she engulfed me in a hug. 

"She's a keeper, son. Good job." Poseidon patted my back.

"Congratulations Percy. You did it!" We all group hugged while Mom tried to get rid of her tears.

"Brother!" Tyson ran over to me and hugged me, nearly knocking me over.

"Hey big guy! It's good to see you." He grew at least another foot and looked even stronger than I remembered.

"You and Annabeth will be together forever?" Tyson seemed awed by the concept. Paul laughed.

"Yup. Where's Ella?" I looked around for my brother's girlfriend.

"Rachel! They hang out a lot." I smiled. Mom and Paul went to talk to Frederick and Maria.

"I'm glad you guys are together. Do you like my sister?" Nico came over with Marionette in his hands, Will next to him.

"Yes! So tiny and fragile." Tyson said the last word syllable by syllable.

"Hey, Percy. Congrats man, we're happy for you." I hugged Will and patted Nico's head.

"Here, take this little monster. She keeps pulling my hair!" To prove his point, Mari grabbed a lock of his hair and started to pull.

"That's a sign that you need to cut it." I chucked as I took hold of my sister.

"No!" Nico looked seriously offended. "I want to go my hair out so it can flow in the wind."

Will face palmed. "That's you're boyfriend," I teased.

"Yup, this adorable dork." Will leaned over to kiss Nico's cheek.

"Wait a second. Your hair is almost as long as mine!" Nico shot an accusing finger at this boyfriend. I shook my head and left the conversation.

"Perseus." I turned around to find Athena staring at me. My sister made baby noises and farted.

"Athena." I awkwardly bowed with the child in my hold.

"I had my suspicions about you once I knew you existed. Frankly, I wanted you dead." Gee, thanks. "But as you were nearing 16, I started to take notice of all the things you've done for my daughter. Even Artemis had some respect for you. I was still unsure about it when you started to date her, but after Tartarus, I was sure. So, thank you for taking care of my daughter."

It took me a second to respond since I was a bit shocked. "You're welcome Athena. Although I'm pretty sure she took care of me more often." Athena nodded her head at me then disappeared in a white light. Looking around, I noticed Poseidon and Hera were gone too.

"What a beautiful wedding," a voice spoke. I looked around to see Hermione walking towards me.

"Hermione! You made it. Thank you for coming." I embraced her and we made small talk. Her dress was a light blue with black.

"Harry, Draco, and Severus are here too. I'm gonna go congratulate Annabeth, see you!" I waved before making my way to the potions professor. He had a midnight black tux with a light blue tie. Just like Hermione's dress colour..

"Hey, thank you for coming," I shook his hand.

"Of course. But honestly Perseus, does the food have to be blue?" He gestured towards the pavilion where tables were set up with blue foods.

"Of course it does. But I see that Hermione and you have taken a liking for blue," I smirked.

"Yes, well, blue is beautiful," Sev cleared his throat.

"But that's not the only thing that you find beautiful, huh?" I playfully elbowed him.

"Ah, Draco! Yes, make conversation with Perseus, he's being especially annoying today." Severus pushed Draco into me and wondered off.

"What's his problem?" The blonde whipped imaginary dust off him.

"No clue. But hey, thanks for coming!" I gave him a hug.

"Not a problem. I'm actually going to go talk to Jason right now, but congratulations!" He waved then headed over to the son of Jupiter.

As I stood, I was amazed by all the friends I have made over the year. No, not friends, family. Looking back now, I guess being a half-blood wasn't so bad.

The End

\-------  
A/N: That's it. That's the story. Sorry it took me so long to update the last chapter. I'm hoping it lived up to your expectations, if not, it lived up to mine, so that's all I could ask for. I'm going to go back and edit this.

The next chapter is not a chapter. I repeat the next part IS NOT A CHAPTER. It's a thing I like to do when the characters or I can answer questions any of you readers might have. Thank you so much for reading this with me and have an amazing day!


	23. Alternate Ending

Hey guys! As I mentioned last chapter, this is just a thing so if anyone has any questions, I or the others could answer them!

Percy: Why did you kill me?

Me: It made the story interesting. Don't worry though, you're still alive.

Annabeth: You seriously gave me a heart attack.

Me: Sorry Annabeth.

Leo: You should have mentioned how I burnt all of my clothes off in class once!

Hazel: There was a reason she didn't put that in there..

Frank: Well you're awesome, doctor. It was a pleasure doing business with you.

Me: Thank you! And thank you to all the readers. Have a good time in life. 

"While we may come from different places, and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one." -Albus Dumbledore


End file.
